Customer Reviews

Ce-5

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I like this even though I don't generally like "dance" or "electronic" music, and didn't think the pre-Thrill band the Bogmen were very exciting. But hey, this has catchy tunes, weird space sounds (always good), a nice mix of live instruments and electronic effects, and Vic's singing and charisma could make even a record of emo music sound great!

Now I will try to make some kind of "music critic" comparison, ummm... "If the Neptunes produced 'Kid A' it might sound like this!" Huh? How was that?

I was amazed the first time i heard a vic thrill song. this is the kind of music that will shake your booty and your soul. The mixing of styles and sounds will perk up the ears of even the most jaded music hipster. Good music was never supposed to be this much fun! I couldn't wait to get the CE-5 album in, i had to make do with a cd i made fromt he five songs available on their website www.victhrill.com

you must own this album! seriously.

I would have paid twice the price for this CD. I saw these guys on the Coney Island Boardwalk this past summer and they were fantastic live, so full of energy and creative genius. If these guys catch a break they're going to make it big. Check out their website www.victhrill.com ; it's indicative of the effort these guys put into their work, and the playful nature of their message. Trust me: buy this CD and listen to it with your friends; they'll think you just found the next big thing. I agree with the reviewer who compared them to the Blues Explosion; the energy, ferociousness, and talent are all there. The only change I would make is to say they are more like the Blues Explosion from Mars; they are more playful, wacky and fun, while the Blues Explosion is more about down and dirty grit. Enjoy!

Vic Thrill's music is very difficult to explain. It cannot simply be slapped into a genre like so much of the meaningless junk we hear on the radio today. Certainly groundbreaking, original, and very dance-worthy. The mixture of electronics and rockin' guitar riffs may sound a bit intimidating, but it's a certain recipe for success in my book. This is something you will have to hear for yourself; you WON'T be let down.

The amazing and electronic Vic Thrill will wow your ears, all two of them! Well, if you had three, it would please the third as well. Sometimes it takes a while to get into it, but once you figure it out, Vic Thrill is a golden gem that will light up your evenings, days, and nights.

Once upon a time in the 90s, there was a little band from Long Island called The Bogmen. This band of merry men, fronted by singer/songwriter Billy Campion, formulated a delightful brand of ebullient art-rock with a sardonic edge. Although The Bogmen had a very loyal, rabid fan base, they were never able to achieve mainstream success, toiling for several years in relative obscurity before finally calling it quits in 1998. Rising from the ashes of his defunct band, Billy Campion reinvented himself as Vic Thrill. He formed a new, eponymous band with the help of two former Bogmen, bassist Mark Wike and drummer Derek Finan, as well as ex-Garden Variety guitarist Anthony Rizzo, who adopted the pseudonym Saturn Missile.

Many Bogmen fans eagerly followed Billy Campion's transformation to Vic Thrill - a testament to his charismatic persona, considering that his current musical stylings are pretty far removed from his past work. Campion is like a modern-day pied piper, minus the bad intentions. Wherever this man leads you, you can be sure you'll be thoroughly entertained when you get there. Such is the case with CE-5, Vic Thrill's full-length debut. An entertaining mix of just about any genre you can think of, and probably some you'll have to make up, this CD will make you dance, laugh, think and leave you fumbling for words to describe it.

Though difficult to describe stylistically, CE-5 can easily be categorized as a blast of pure energy. Vic is a man who loves experiencing everything life has to offer. The joy that he projects through music is palpable, and you can't help but feel positively giddy while listening to this record. Vic Thrill is not just a cool name that Campion thought might look good on a marquee. He really embraces the idea of the "vicarious thrill", whereby listeners of his music are able to experience all the emotions that he puts into it.

The broad mix of emotions and influences that were used to create this music make it impossible to confine CE-5 to any one genre. While there is a definite focus on electronic sounds throughout this record, it's nowhere near the realm of Moby or Portishead, artists whose monotony and pretension perfectly illustrate why Electronica is often maligned. Vic Thrill overcomes those preconceived notions with music that is vibrant, witty and never boring.

Take the first track, "Hummingbird Pneumonia", which can only be described as a complete sensory assault. Even the most astute listener out there would have a tough time trying to identify all the instruments and effects that are present on this song. The music makes a sound in parts that actually conjures up images of hummingbirds flitting around. The vocals are achieved by layering many different distorted versions of Vic's voice over each other, resulting in what sounds like an extraterrestrial barbershop quartet. This song is the perfect introduction to Vic Thrill, because it packs all of their spirit, musicianship and technological expertise into a tight little ball that explodes when it reaches your ears. You'll never hear anything like this song on the radio and there is no mistaking it for anything else.

The rest of the songs on CE-5 seem to use that first track as a starting point, each one diverging down a different path, while still staying true to the space-age theme of the record. Songs like the title track and "Rebellion of the Cloned" are psychedelic trips to distant galaxies. "Wailing Wall" and "Afrological" are great futuristic rock songs with impossibly catchy choruses. "Living in the Love Life After" is Cake-style melodic rap, while "Smeared" is a ska-flavored adrenaline rush. The record closer, "Zero Odds", is a stripped-down slow burn that gradually swells to a hard rocking, guitar-driven release that ends the record 180 degrees from where it began.

Highlights of this record include the funk-pop epic, "Everything Here is Filled with Cream" and "The Williamsburg Strangler". The former begins with an extended musical intro, building with so many different sounds that your ears won't know what to do with themselves. Suddenly, a blazing guitar riff hits, and a pumping disco beat emerges that will make even the staunchest wallflowers get down. The latter is a hypnotic dance groove with a dark side. The serial-killer inspired lyrics give the song a decidedly menacing tone while the electronic choir, which sounds eerily like women screaming, is quite chilling. Still, it manages to remain accessible, thanks to a dazzling array of techno beats and Vic's ethereal vocals.

Vic Thrill's CE-5 is not just a collection of songs; it is a musical adventure. How this talented and strikingly original band has remained virtually unknown is a complete mystery. Perhaps, as another song suggests, "Nobody's Watching the Radar"? Well, start paying attention, folks. No doubt there are more thrills to come.

More people should buy this album. Vic Thrill is fascinating. Very edgy, very New York. There's a cool profile of him and his buddy Curly Oxide on This American Life (NPR) that you might want to check out. Support local musicians. Sorry I don't have more to say, but I do say this is worth buying.

This music is incredible. It's like nothing I've ever heard before. It wakes up some part of my brain that's never been awake before. Totally addicted with no hope of rehab and I LOVE IT! I am so freaking excited that it will get awesome publicity now that Tina Fey is writing a movie about Curly Oxide and Vic Thrill. I believe the response will be huge. Now quick! Get on the wagon so you can be all smug say you listened to Vic Thrill before the movie even came out!

Smart sounds! I can really dig this! Where have you guys been? I am waiting for your next CD!

Billy Campion's wry, delicious sense of humor as a lyricist shines brightly in this spastic electro-pop masterpiece. The beats are numerous, the songs are catchy, and the computer effects genuinely enhance the quality of the songs, (rather than serving as a cover up for a lack of talent.) Saturn Missle (Anthony Rizzo) plays some pretty rocking guitar, also.