Album Review: Via Audio’s Animalore
By Lindsey Darden
Being that we are only in the month of March, we are probably a bit premature in saying that Via Audio‘s latest album, Animalore, should hold one of the coveted spots for the best album of the year. We’re known tend to cast bets early around here; it’s a confident one, to be sure. The East-Coast-based band’s sophomore album dabbles in most everything they have proved to love best – modern and classic rock, varied electronic influences, and a nostalgic sixties/seventies sensibility. It’s theme is as energetic as much as it is sultry (“Hello”), mellow as much as it is quirky (“Lizard Song”), and on all fronts it is mm nom nom delish (a real definition; we looked it up). For purposes of comparison, if Oingo Boingo had come out with an album somewhere in between Only A Lad and Boi-Ngo, it probably would have aspired to scoot this one off the charts.
Jessica Martins’ and Tom Deis’ alternating vocals keep things fresh and fitting as far as individual tracks are concerned, all while filling the quota for band member symbiosis. Overall song composition and the aforementioned vocal quality will swirl the listener into a joyous frenzy, as will the lyrics themselves. You’ve got one of the most possibly-irresponsible yet romantic lyrics you’ll hear all year – I know the world is overcrowded / But I wanna make babies with you (“Babies”) – alongside a pointed jab at the auto-tune generation – The robot will sing it right for me a million tiny pixels, a million little lies (“Digital”). The essence of the latter song might end up the most commercial of the whole album, but don’t let that hinder you. At times the most precious gems buried a bit deeper in the tracklist – for instance, the acoustic guitar-centric, country rock-influenced chug-along “Oh Blah Wee”.
Animalore is available on Undertow Music Collective. Click here to buy (CD or MP3).
Tracklist:
1. Hello
2. Goldrush
3. Babies
4. Tigers
5. Wanted
6. Too Quiet
7. Lizard Song
8. Digital
9. Summer Stars
10. Oh Blah Wee
11. Olga
12. Happening
Rating: 8 out of 10
