Vaz

Dying to Meet You (GSL)
by Grady Gadbow

First of all, it’s amazing that this can be done (and done live) by just two guys. I mean, yeah, it’s not impossible, but certainly unusual for a two-piece band to generate such depth of tone and weirdness. These two guys, of course, are the guys from the great Hammerhead.

The old rockers from Minnesota say Paul Erickson, who still goes by “Apollo Liftoff,” puts at least one bass string on his guitar and has the uncanny knack of playing rhythm and simple, sinister leads at the same time. They say he speaks only in riddles. They say he can kill people with his mind if he wants to, and they used to call him “Dad.”

The drums are most ingenious. The fast, busy, complicated beats are brilliant throughout the album while never distracting from the songs. Not a lot of bands can get away with really technical percussion without trashing the melody. The overall vibe is the patented sinisterness we’ve come to expect, plus a new silly and delirious swagger. Like their fellow AmRep alumni Cows, they bring to mind the twisted joke of the scary carnival, especially in the song “Give Us the Creeps,” a whimsical ditty about monsters or something.

There are more dynamic vocals this time around with both guys singing, and some really cool effects layered on for the more rocking numbers. Extra disturbing lyrics, even for Erickson, and lush production will make this an unforgettable work of dark and clever rock.
(PO Box 65091 Los Angeles, CA 90065)