Sometimes a band channels little bits of other artists but those artists are quite disparate. The Vultures are initially quite hard to pinpoint because their brand of sym-folk-phonic rock flips from track to track but there’s a bit of Morrissey, Nick Cave and David Bowie thrown into the mix.
This follow on EP showcases six tracks and opens with the dirge-like spoken word of “Ballad of the Werewolf”. The strings and deep spoken vocal are what make the atmospheric track work best and is what makes me think of Nick Cave. It’s a misleader though as the rest of the EP is far more rock driven than folk, but the string arrangements throughout are very folk like. This is why I’ve now penned a new mini genre – sym-folk-phonic!
“Suicide” is the most straight up rocking track and is Bowie esque in vocal delivery and short, snappy riffs that really pull you in. It was the track that got me interested in the band and it’s a stand out here. “Le Denier Jour”, French for The Last Day, is a lovely French/English duet and has a gypsy sway to it. “Rumpelstiltskin” moves from gypsy to something more like a deranged circus. It’s purposely clunky percussion and tunes mask a twisted string arrangement that’s actually quite sultry and alluring. “The Bat And I” reminds me more of Rasputina than anything else as the violins take centre stage on the rocking track. They drive hard and fast and in its two minutes – the track packs a mighty punch. Rounding off the EP is the waltzing “Surrender” where the unrefined Leonard Cohen-like vocals really add a timeless depth as the voice sings slowly over a fast tempo rock track.
I really like The Vultures’ sound. It’s like gypsy rock but with a fully charged amplifier turned all the way up. The minor issue with the EP is that four of the songs are under two and a half minutes long. They don’t outstay their welcome, but they also feel a little underdeveloped too and so I’d like to see more variety in song structure for future releases. They certainly have variety in sound sorted already!
Recommended Track : Suicide