Vitesse - What Can Not Be But Is
(Acuarela)
Vitesse makes the kind of music that made me fall in love with music in the first place. It takes me right back to those days, sitting on the bus on the way to Dixon Junior High hoping that the top 40 station my bus driver preferred would see fit to play New Order or O.M.D. or The Cure. Vitesse, however, should not be mistaken as just another new wave tribute band, because their version is every bit as good as the originals and is much more than mere tribute.
My initial reaction to the album went right along with the comparisons made in the bio, which were New Order, Magnetic Fields, and O.M.D. (among others). Initially, also, I admit that I came close to passing them off as just another near tribute band. With further listens, however, I found a depth that is not present in most of the new new wave bands. The album begins with "A Statue On Easter Island" with is fairly accurately described as a mix between Magnetic Fields and New Order (which is not a band combination to make). Many of the other songs, without repeated listens could be passed off as a combination of this or that band, but, the difference being the songs are so well written. The fourth song, an O.M.D. cover "2nd Thought" is particularly great. It's difficult to describe what makes them stand out—the vocals do sound like a more sincere Stephen Merritt, the beats, bass, and guitar do often sound a lot like New Order, but they don't sound like a watered-down version of songs by these artists that are most certainly inspirations—they are every bit as good as the bands that inspire them. The album also features a Bruce Springsteen cover ("Unsatisfied Heart") which translates surprisingly well.
I know I haven't articulated what is exceptional about this band very well, and I know it has been somewhat redundant, but that's because I can't put my finger on exactly what I like so much about them. At any rate I do like them very much and so have given their album the rating you see above.
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