Album Review :: Violent Soho :: WACO

Written by: Andrea Janov, CC2K Music Editor

Violent Soho :: WACO :: SideOneDummy

I was a fan of Violent Soho’s Hungry Ghost when SideOneDummy released it last year, so I was super curious to see the WACO LP in my inbox. With this full length Violent Soho show off their maturity. This record is more polished, more intentional than Hungry Ghost. Where Hungry Ghost derived a lot of it’s power from it’s rawness, WACO attacks you in moved that are totally choreographed and refined.

WACO has a 90s indie garage rock vibe that mixes Nirvana’s Bleach with some London Suede or early Oasis. We are launched into the record with a scream and never dropped down for one moment. The guitars are aggressive, the vocals are powerful, and the vibe is menacing, all dashed with some feedback.

The stand out tracks are Like Soda, which build like I have never heard a song build, from almost folky to a scream. This track takes you on the roller coaster, “Cause we don’t complain enough but we never shut­up”. Holy Cave begins slow and introspective, “I remember times, all those nights / when we drove so far away / take me there / fearless air, we can find a hideaway.” Until the music and vocals break free and explodes into the air.