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MUSIC REVIEWS
Corey Wells
“VilaFishburn,” Jimmy says, answering my question.
“Vila what?”
“VilaFishburn,” my man replies. “The band’s name is VilaFishburn.”
“Not bad,” I reply.
http://www.nuvo.net/archive/2005/12/14/the_niceness_of_joes.html
- Nuvo
Indian, a musically dynamic and lyrically searching debut EP from the Indy-based band VilaFishburn, is a most-enjoyable, and all-too-short, collection of intelligent rock songs, self-produced in the band's home studio. Consisting of three original members of the now-defunct Port 80 and utilizing two of the area's most talented bass players, VilaFishburn creates a sound that is at times dark, at times hopeful, but always musical, vibrant and cerebral.
The self-titled first song is an anthemic American Indian prayer that blends warm acoustic and electric guitars, and is highlighted by a soaring, spatial bridge that is at once tender and powerful. "Fall Again" contains a walking bass line and slight jazz shuffle rhythm that command the mood of this self-deprecating analysis of one young man's apathetic account of early adult life. Hearing this I can certainly recall those days of laughing all the way out of the bars and waking up the next day realizing that nothing had changed.
The third song, "Dreams" is an alternatingly dark and lilty dialogue between the conscious mind and the mind's third eye. Lyrically surreal and musically dramatic in places, "Dreams" contains unexpected chordal and percussive changes that swell to a powerful third verse and a quiet, almost yielding end. The best song in terms of structure this listener has heard come out of Indy in a while, "Ricochet" is an unsettling interpretation of the recent sniper killings in DC, told in the first-person. A driving rhythm section, soaring guitars and unrepentant vocals keep this song moving to a resolute and foreboding end.
Probably the most radio-friendly song on the album, "The Ball" possesses subtle alternating percussive patterns that help build tension into the major-key, ultimately hopeful choruses. A pause in one's life, with one eye on the past and one on the future, this song contains some of the album's strongest lyrics: "...Gifts of promise making kind/Wonder of this world turning the corner to you." The last song, officially untitled, is an Eastern-Indian inspired instrumental, built upon creative percussive loops of slit drums and toms, with sparse guitars and wordless, distant chant. Hypnotic and erotic, the song provides a chordal resolution to a dreamy, melodic album.
Inventive song structures provide a firm foundation for a superb array of guitar tonal textures, driving mixed-meter-feel rhythms, melodic bass lines, and passionate vocals that sometimes whisper and sometime scream their surreal messages. Indian is a strong outing from an overlooked band on the Indy music scene.
--Andy Baker, Cincinnati, OH - Ask Andy About Indie...
LimeLightRadio -http://limelightradio.com
Regular rotation - "Indian", "Fall Again", "The Ball", "Dreams" & "Ricochet"
Z99.5 Kelly's Homegrown Buzz - "Indian"
JagRadio - www.jagradio.iupui.edu - Regular rotation - "Indian", "Fall Again" and "The Ball." - Listing
Discography
EP - "Indian"
http://cdbaby.com/cd/vilafishburn
http://www.vilafishburn.com/mp3
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Band Bio Preview:
Imagine Dan Akroyd reading this as his character in "The Blues Brothers"
After being shot in a drive-by shooting in 1996, life was no longer innocent. When care-free innocence is lost, regardless of the reason, a person reflects on life often and deeply, and "some individuals" pick up guitars and just start writing every thing down. Meeting like minded individuals usually follows, and thus "VilaFishburn."
The most difficult thing for us to do when recording our original material is selecting which 10 songs out of the 200 plus ideas "in our bag." Those who see us at shows have compared us to Live, (I think mostly because of our love of using dynamics). We are often told that we're very melodic and that's what sets us apart from other bands. I personally have two favorite guitarists, (Mark Knopfler and "the Edge" from U2). Our lead guitarist uses a very melodic approach which reminds me of the two of them blended together. We like songs, sounds and artists that take you "to that place" while driving your car where you get lost and leave this world for the moment. We like to think our songs have this quality and are influenced by bands like U2, Pearl Jam, John Mellencamp, Dire Straits, Grandaddy, Sheryl Crow, The Pixies, Radiohead, Wilco, GunsN'Roses, Billy Joel, The Beatles, Elton John, The Boo Radleys, Pete Yorn, Tom Petty, Queen...and on and on.
VilaFishburn is a state of mind which defines our band as a grand team of "do it yourselfers."
We write our own music, built and maintain our own website (selling our CD via CDbaby), built a recording studio and recorded and produced our first EP. We're currently working on a follow up...
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