Vordermann – Cloudpiercer
Listen, no kid goes to a music store for the first time, tries out an electric guitar and wonders how to toggle the volume back far down enough so that nobody in the near vicinity is bothered. All rock guitarists are sadists!
And that’s a mighty good thing. Rock guitarists surrender their hearing and, often, their sanity so that we all can benefit from the kind of sounds that would’ve made Richard Wagner want to bankrupt a German kingdom for. Let’s rejoice at our luxuries!
Sure, sure, it’s not all that simple. Most rock guitarists never advance past turning their amp to eleven and cranking up repetitive lead lines. But, the ones who manage to blend the attack of the guitar with other instruments and fit them into a storyline will have the opportunity to test the hearing sensitivity of listeners across musical halls, clubs and stadiums.
Vordermann makes its debut with “Cloudpiercer,” but the band already knows where precisely it’s planning to go – stratospheric. There’s some tongue-in-cheek here, sure. But, really, Vordermann makes guitar music meant to soundtrack colossal disasters, huge gatherings, and nervous breakdowns where you convince yourself that you’ve metamorphosised into a Norse God. It’s not a song that will get pulled for a McDonald’s ad, but hey, someone has to keep rock music sounding immense.
Taylor Crawford – I’m Disappointed In The Way I Handle Everything
The first thing that potential rockstars had to give up was any loyalty to the truth. That made joining up with a band nothing less than running away with the circus. Both were strange professions to have, and neither involved giving out your accurate biography.
You needed to change your name first. That one goes without saying. Next, you needed a really great story about yourself. Had to make it rich, but something people might believe. Change your clothes and your speaking voice, and maybe get some surgery, and you were all set.
Turns out that, as time moved on, more and more people started applying. And this new breed of freaks was ready to do even more than just avoid telling the truth. They’d turn into lab rats if needed.
Maybe that’s why it’s easy to like Taylor Crawford’s music. If it’s a lie, it’s the first fib anyone else would’ve chosen. What about a title like “I’m Disappointed In the Way I Handle Everything.” You don’t get that kind of confession out of the mouth of a rapper trying to score a Super Bowl slot. Furthermore, Taylor Crawford’s sophisticated, Radiohead-inspired sound plants enough clues to keep you guessing for days. It’s a true crime confession to a rock beat.
