Rock on

Vices - The Wind I Walk Into


Vices’ first album is a rock and roll blockbuster. Beautifully produced by Jason Saltzman, song after song combines Californian bliss with driving rock beats. The three guitars weave artfully together over a backing bass and drums, each taking turns in the manner of a seasoned jazz ensemble. At times, the delicate guitar work is reminiscent of ‘Scar Tissue’-era Red Hot Chili Peppers – as on ‘Giving Cigarettes to Kids’. At other times, instruments combine in a sensual assault that disguises the thought and complexity which underlies the song – as on ‘Junk’.

Lead singer Lea, so extrovert on stage, here demotes himself to another instrumentalist, his voice adding another layer of complexity to the guitar work. The abstract lyrics are almost-comprehensible riffs on an enigma, which add to an air of affected privacy; one gets the feeling that these songs might have arrived fully formed in practice sessions, and that the band would be just as happy performing for one another as for the wider world.

The stand out track comes halfway through the album. ‘Jerusalem’ builds slowly to an ecstatic explosion of vocals and guitar. But in truth, the bitter appeals of ‘Younger’ or poppy, 70s-influenced ‘Dust Ghost’ vie for that title, and there are few weak links here.

The Wind I Walk Into is available on iTunes.