Customer Reviews

Bring on the Comets

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

You just have to love it when you come across an album that you play over and over and over and over again - this is one of them. I am stunned by the quality of the production, which does harken back to the 80's - and in a superb, electrifying fashion. I agree wholeheartedly with a comment made previously saying that if this came out back then, it would have dominated, been huge. To me, it comes off like a combination of Big Country + Real Life (if you remember those bands). Rocking, yet with layers of synths aplenty. I have seen them perform live and they were incredible - you should too, if you're lucky enough to be in town when they are. This album is excellent and one of the best of 2007. Play it in a car with a deluxe system to REALLY experience its power.

VHS Or Beta are the unabashed mascots of dance rock. I can't think of a better term for what they do musically. Composed as a traditional 4-piece with synthetic enhancements (e.g. electronic drum pads and occasional synths), the band at times can be hard to distinguish from a fully electronic outfit. 'Bring on The Comets' is different from previous releases that focused on a specific dance genre, whether it was French Disco or 80s Brit New Wave, and is their foray into something that truly resembles Rock for dancing or rather "rock for the club". Sometimes the album feels Classic, sometimes Arena, sometimes Country and sometimes Indie Rock.

"Love in My Pocket" has a swaggering rock feel, like it might be an updated Cheap Trick song with its seemingly tongue-in-cheek lyrics about love. "Can't Believe A Single Word" has the quick-tongued intro and falsetto of something The Darkness would scribe. The track is truly anthemic, a blessing for those that pump their fists in the air and shake their [...] at the same time. It's not unexpected that VHS' combo of mainstream rock and glitter-ball club antics might get excessive - it can. Thankfully, the album has a tendency to switch things up from track to track keeping the sound varied. Indie Pop rears itself onto the album on "Fall Down Lightly" with its chorus reminiscent of a wistful Ivy song. The albums final track "The Stars Where We Came From" has lead singer Craig Pfunder bellowing over pedal steel and piano in a heartbroken piece that crescendos in tragic Country Rock style.

VHS Or Beta have forayed into the Rock area of Dance Rock on "Comets", but one thing that has stayed consistent is their penchant for thematic albums. Only the song "Burn It All Down" truly stands out as more club dance than bar rock. It sounds as it belongs on their previous album but its dance merit makes it worthy of inclusion on any release. There are a good set of stand-out tracks on "Comets" but overall the album feels like it was completed with filler tracks like "Take It Or Leave It" sounding like a bad Anime theme song, 2 short instrumental tracks and a later track "Time Stands Still" which overflows the hand clap pot dragging on for four minutes.

Fans of VHS Or Beta will appreciate the album's movement into new areas of dance rock. Other's should check it out if they like to toe the line between discotheque and rocking out, or just like to tap their toes.

Louisville-based VHS or Beta has gone through an interesting musical evolution, from the mostly instrumental 2002 "Le Funk" album, to the excellent dance-oriented (with upfront lead vocals) 2004 "Night On Fire" album, to this, the eagerly awaited third album.

On "Bring On the Comets" (12 tracks, 44 min.), the band, now a trio, expands its musical pallet while staying true to the dance-oriented beat from the earlier albums. Opener "Euglama" is a 1 min. instrumental that would fit in nicely on "Le Funk", it fades in and then out, as if to say, this is what we were but now we're on to bigger and better things, then crashing into "Love In My Pocket", a terrific sing-along, as is "Can't Believe a Single Word" (the first single). It is immediately clear that guitars are more upfront than ever before, and drummer Mark Guldry has resorted back to 'real' drums (instead of the electronical drums used before). The album flows along nicely. "Burns It All Down" is reminicent of the sound on the "Night On Fire" album. The terrific first half of the album concludes with an urgent "Take It Or Leave it". The second half of the album starts off with another short instrumental, then dives into the title track, a exalerating look at the sky, just great. "Fall Down Lightly" brings a funky bass to the fore and reminds me of "You Got Me", the best track on "Night On Fire". Even at track 11, "Time Stands Still", you can feel the urgency of the band and the album. Closer "The Stars Where We Came From" is the longest track of the album, a pensive tune and a nice way to round out things. Incidentally, the band got help on a number of tracks from their Louisville brethren My Morning Jacket, including Jim James providing backing vocals and guitar.

In all, "Bring On the Comets" is a thoroughly enjoyable listen, and at 44 min. it clips by in no time and you find yourself playing it again. I've seen VHS or Beta in concert a number of times, but cannot wait to see and hear what the band now sounds like, with real drums. Highly recommended!

A great album--wish I'd ordered it much sooner. The music hovers between Duran Duran, the Alarm's "Rain in the Summertime" era, and punkier indie rock not to far removed from the Killers, though less cliche. Every song is danceable, but not in a too-slick way. There's just enough weirdness and obscurity to the music and lyrics to keep your kid sister from liking them too much and ruining the whole thing. The only time I get annoyed is when the chorus to the unfortunately titled "Love in my Pocket" rolls around. It's an excellent song, but surely a band this clever could have come up with something less sophmoric and obvious than "I've got your love in my pocket." Sheesh.

This is a fantastic CD. Reminds me of that late 70's early 80's dance pop, but with decent lyrics, a very good CD from start to finish, only complaint if any is, some of the songs can run together, but, I like it makes ya want to move, you want to turn it up, and is a throw back to the days of Bands like, The Producers, Mighty Lemon Drops, Flesh for Lulu, and some what like INXS, but if you (like me) grew up in the late 70's early 80's for really discovering music, well, to me, this is what this CD reminds me of. But, best way is for you to listen to the previews,, I think it is great and is what the band intended for it to be, to me, nothing wrong with Music that is intended to make ya want to Dance and Jam, and that is exactly what this CD does.

This is a great album for those looking for some nouveau retro new wave fun. Great dance tunes.

Ahhh the 80's strikes again. A decade of great music, and a style all its own. It was so great and influential that VHS or Beta is still living in it. It's so 80's that if it came out back then, it'd be the biggest album of the decade. Nothing is acoustic, noting natural, just dancing, head-bobbing, and plain ole' fun.

It all gets started really with "Love In My Pocket," a catchy rock/dance song that really defines the style of the album. "Fall Down Lightly" is also in the same manner, and the only thing missing is a good 1234 before the chorus which you can't help but feel the energy, which may cause you to jump and dance along, even though it's rather sad if you read the lyrics. "Can't Believe A Single Word" is a great choice for a single, and also embodies the album with its rock/dance catchiness, which the band seems to do really well with.

Here's a question, why is it that dance songs like to burn stuff down, like with "Burn It All Down?" Are arsonists also dancers/singers. Kidding aside, this sounds a whole lot like that Dead or Alive hit. Songs like "Time Stands Still" don't really hit their mark till the chorus, so for the rest of the song, you're stuck waiting for the song to get good.

"Bring On The Comets" is an interesting departure from the rest of the album, and the song really shines at the end, as the whole song seems like it's building towards something. The highlight is also completely different from the rest of the album, "She Says" is an emotional song that brings it home with it's chorus, keeps you interested with the music, and the whole mood is perfect for the song.

Overall, the songs get stale if the generally go over 4 minutes in length, and some of the songs are just OK, and nothing to write home about. But the songs I mentioned earlier are with the price of admission for this trip back in time, with a musical party that's great anybody that loves the 80's, and people who like dance/pop and even a little power pop.

This is the first time in a long time that I listened to a new CD and then played it again and listened to it a second time immediately. The music still makes you want to move while being complex and interesting enough so that you can sit still and listen to it as well, and the vocals and lyrics definitely work. This is a fantastic CD.

I admit, I rarely buy an album based on a single song, however I made an exception for "Bring on the Comets" after getting hooked by "Can't Believe a Single Word." At first I would b-line for the infectious single, but soon found myself listening through the entire album, which is surprisingly good when listened to as it was intended, with a strong tempo the rides throughout the length of the CD. Defiantly worth 10 bucks.

This CD has an amazing kind of sound really difficult to categorize. Neither Brit-pop nor Techno-Pop nor ... it's just VHS or Beta's brand new style, and that's probably what makes it different & better.

The diversity on each track drives you to a trip through various 'flavours' which allow you to enjoy them time after time.

I am a techno/electro fan, but have a very few exceptions on other styles. This CD is one of them, and don't think this is a dance album. It's just a sort of music you can listen to, anywhere/anytime.

Enjoy it!