Customer Reviews

There Must Be Some Way to Stop Them

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

 

 

"There Must Be Some Way To Stop Them" is a solid, pulse-pounding, shout-the-roof-down album with a raw electric energy. With one or two dud tracks, this is a roaring good listen that only grew on me with repeated playings.

It rages off to a great start with the raging, burning "Set It to Blow" ("This is the anthem/burn out/die young"), the steady multi-layered "Switched On" with its blasting guitar and excellent lyrics ("Forget all that you know/It's all staged, all part of the show") the exquisite ballad "At Your Will" that blossoms into a rock ballad (which sounds oxymoronic, but isn't), the snarling "Ride Out B****", the steadier but still loud "Broke the Brakes," and "Four-Cornered Lives" that starts off softly -- then hits you with a tsunami of noise. The final song, "Shot in the Back," is utterly haunting in its rawness and darkness.

Never judge a book by its cover, and the same applies to CDs. With its faux-old-book look and sketches of gods, heroes and monsters, this looks like some sort of mythology-themed album. But it's far from it. The songs handle women, cars, shallow fame, death, and "dust darkened skies," the sun in splinters, and more.

The music is complex, the sort of complexity that has to be slowly unraveled. The first time, it just sounds like straightforward music; when examined more closely, the keyboards and blasting guitars give it an unusually complicated, but never choppy or overdone. The vocals are generally shouted, sometimes sung, which backs up the songs themselves. The lyrics are usually well-written, but sometimes they aren't; "On Love and Cars" is too weird and fragmented, while "Switched On" is nothing short of a brilliant, amazing song.

Vaux's "There Must Be Some Way To Stop Them" is a very heavy, hard, loud album that blasts with energy. Good work.

So I reviewed this band's "On Life; Living" EP a few months ago [readable here], and I remember just being completely baffled by Vaux. Their metallic post-artcore sound was one that was lost on my ears, and I really wasn't sure what to say about the CD. Now, the band is unleashing this, their debut full length on Volcom Entertainment, and I can say with very easy assurance that it's the best thing Volcom has ever been associated with. Why all of the sudden have my ears opened up more to this band? Two words - Blood Brothers.

What do I mean, you ask? Well, shortly after I wrote off Vaux's EP as unlistenable, I received an advance copy of the new Blood Brothers album "Burn Piano Island Burn," and fell in love with their sasscore sound. Going from the complexity, depth, and all around craziness of the Blood Brothers to Vaux is like going from advanced astrophysics to pre-algebra.

That is not to say that Vaux's music isn't highly complex, either. It's just that my senses were opened up to this world through the most extreme measures neccessary, so absorbing this is a much easier feat now.

Wow, I haven't really talked about the disc at all, I should probably do that. Okay, here goes:

Vaux rocks me. Vaux rocks me hard. The band harnesses the brutal energy of old 80's punk bands like Black Flag and fuses it together with the melodicism of early-to-mid-nineties post-hardcore bands like Texas Is The Reason and Sunny Day Real Estate [pre-first breakup]. To add to it, the band utilizes not only three guitars but two keyboards, fleshing out the band's sound even more, allowing for the listener to discover hidden musical lines with each subsequent listen. From the opening salvo of the pulse-accelerating "Set It To Blow," to the Radiohead-meets-Deftones with the intensity of early Nirvana closer "Shot In The Back," this album smokes. The production is great, the liner notes and artwork look really, really good, and there are quite a few pop gems buried amid all the yelling and grinding of guitars [see "Fame" for an example]. The band isn't afraid to slow things down, either - "Four Cornered Lives" drops the heart rate down to a medium pace, but vocalist Quentin Smith barely gives you time to relax as he barrels out line after line with the intensity of a mass murderer's last words.

So, to sum up - this is really, really good agressive post-hardcore with enough melodicism and to warrant a space on my CD shelf for some time. This will be one of those bands that the metal scenesters will be talking about soon enough - beat them to the punch, will you?

I do not listen to any of the so called "rock" out today (ex. coheed and cambria, my chemical romance, taking back sunday, ect.). To be honest, i'd say that it's all crap and none of it even come close to being musical in the slightest way. I listen to Nirvana, Guns N Roses, Metallica, Pearl Jam and even a little Rap. And, i am the LEAST "punk/emo" person you would ever meet.

Vaux was reccomended to me by someone so i figured it couldnt hurt to download one of their songs and take a listen. (Little did i know i'd soon be purchasing their album.) I downloaded "Set It to Blow" and i was just completely blown away. This an amazing fast-paced track with incredible energy and mind-blowing drum work.

Folks, i cant stress enough, that this is the only "punk" band out today that actually displays talent, and incredible talent at that. I used to consider any band who had a lead singer that screams 90% of his lyrics, crap. But Quentin is an amazing lyricist, whom i'd compare to that of Kurt Cobain (the KING of rock and grunge music). The guitar riffs through-out this ENTIRE album are outstanding. The slightly off-beat drum rhythms (such as that on "Switched On") were hard for me to get used to, but after a while they just sucked me in.

The band even proved they can write excellent ballads, in "At Your Will", where it starts off very soft, with slow, quiet, mood-capturing guitar. This is also the point at which lead singer Quentin proves his vocal abilities, softly singing in a beautiful voice to the listener. But the band gets right back into their original rocking out sound with their next track, "Ride Out Bitch".

The album comes to an un-awaited end with "Shot in the Back", a terrible but lyrically amazing story of a lost love. A "kind-of ballad", which is comparable to their other ballad, "At Your Will". In the vocals you can actually hear his pain and his relation to the lyrics. And once again, needless to say of course, amazing guitar work by the three, yes, THREE guitarists in the band.

Folks, this is a truely amazing band and an outstanding CD. It has been in my CD player for the past 4 months since i first got it. I listen to it daily and i've yet to get sick of it. This album is worth every cent i spent on it and more. Its one of the best CDs i own, up there with Nirvana "Nevermind", Nirvana "UnPlugged in New York", Metallica "Black Album" and Guns N Roses "Appetite for Destruction". Vaux combines grunge with heavy rock and a little bit of punk for a truely unique sound, far, FAR above and beyond any of the crap "punk rock" bands out today. The only reason i only gave this album 4 stars is because 5 stars is a spot reserved only for the Kings of all grunge/rock music, Nirvana.

I highly reccomend "Set It To Blow" and if you only purchase one CD within the next year, let it be this one. Vaux is a group of incredibly talented young men who are wise beyond their years in the lyrical content. This is a genuinely amazing album and the only thing i regret is not discovering Vaux earlier.

Vaux is supposedly a "to see" band. Pfftt. There more than just a "to see," there a "must see." Vaux bridges the gap between rock, emo and grunge all into one nicely wrapped package. They bundle themselves in Nirvanas teen anguish and roll in Iggy pops rock filled blood...Vaux is they epitome of angst in a burning fire of grunge rock n' roll. They place the acid in your stomach and watch you squirm all over the dance floor. For any kid that wants to rock n' roll all-night and party everyday, this is the ultimate CD. However, beware. Vaux is one known to set their own place mat. Or in other words, there work is original and a genre not seen or heard by many. So when you swallow a big gulp make sure you check the after taste, you might like it more than you thought possible...
Scarlett Invocation aka Caitlin Burch
to talk to the writter of this review aol im: rosepetalcandy

This cd is amazing. Not only is the music spellbinding, it has a way of making you keep coming back for more. Catchy beats fused with insane lyrics make this cd a must for any true rock fans.

you ever get an album and feel like it was made just for you? yeah, this cd is loud, fast, and barely lets you catch your breath. Yet, they increaed dramatically from On Life; Living. I have heard they are a 'live' band, so i saw them and they were amazing then i bought the album and realized they are much more than a 'live' band, they rock and are a perfect blend of angst, scream, and melody.

This cd is so amazing. The differences in the songs are so significant yet they still keep it sounding like the same band. The riffs are just awesome to listen to. The lyrics are also really cool. The emotion in this album is so obvious. I had the pleasure of seeing Vaux live a few days ago at the Detroit Warped Tour 03. And I also had the honor of talking with the singer after the show. Good tunes right here.

Colorado should be proud. Saw Vaux live with BSF at Irving Plaza. They are really great & definately rock. I guess I can see the Sparta comparisons but they are different. This is much more full bodied music, heavier & for the most part louder (and fresher). The cd captures their sound & may be more finished, but live they have the same sound with much more power & enthusiasm.
You should buy the cd.... listen... and catch them live if you can.

This is an amazing album. If you like At the Drive-In, or if you like Sparta, you will definetly like this album, this is a cross between ATDI and Sparta, It has some awesome heavy songs, and a few good quiet songs, I would recommend this album if you like rock music.

This is really a good CD. Vaux sort of sounds like a heavier version of Sparta which isnt necessarily a bad thing. My only complaint is that the songs are too short.