VHS

Vultures & Hungry Spirits [EP] (2014)

MikeHaircut

Seattle’s VHS could be pigeonholed as punk, indie, garage, or straight up rock n’ roll. Their latest release, Vultures & Hungry Spirits EP, is 18 minutes of pure energy. The band, who previously championed the cassette only release, played their first live show in honor of the new record.

Vultures & Hungry Spirits kicks off with “Birds Chirp At Night”, a two-minute blast of trashy guitars and distorted vocals. The production is dirty and underproduced, and it sounds like that’s exactly what VHS is going for.

“Highly Evolved”, the second track, adds an element of surf to the mix. The production remains the same (and doesn’t waver throughout the record) with the addition of a spooky keyboard lead reminiscent of Man Or Astro-Man? “Wolves” is the standout track on the EP, with a no-nonsense drum and guitar intro that immediately hearkens Northwest heroes, The Briefs. The vocals are recorded with an echo effect and the band throws in some classic call and response screams.

Vultures & Hungry Spirits might not be every punk fan’s cup of tea, but it definitely has more hits than misses. VHS sounds like a band that would be a blast to see in any sweaty basement or club in America.