Their self-titled debut full-length ... reduces the drone and adds more accessibility, melody and cohesion to the equation, making it one hella searing and impactful album to start the year off right.
As a band that seems so down on life, Viet Cong’s debut album could easily be a dragging bore, but it’s not.
Viet Cong maintains the same shadowy, droning tones that haunted Cassette, only taking them deeper into the abyss. At the same time, it's strangely more direct and unconventional.
Most of all, this is a record of exertion, where the physical investment in live performance is meant to stimulate creativity, those demoralizing tours inspiring smarter use of the studio.
There is no denying the raw power of Viet Cong ... anyone with punk in their heart will connect with this album.
There are moments when over-saturated drums meet Gregorian chanting and Magnet-style folk oddness, but the band are at their best when experimentation complements their songwriting rather than defines it.
Viet Cong is a solid, admirable distillation of early 90s US indie that dares to throw in some rewarding ideas of its own, proving that "retro" need not always be a cuss word.
Viet Cong's self-titled introductory LP feeds off itself and builds out ideas to create the first truly non-derivative piece in the drone-rock genre since maybe Deerhunter's Cryptograms.
Viet Cong's volatile brew often coalesces into something disarmingly catchy
Viet Cong were a group full of promise on their debut EP, Cassette, and with their harder, heavier, and more powerful debut album, they're making it clear they have the talent and smarts to become a major force in Canada's indie community.
Musically, Viet Cong achieve a remarkable sense of dynamism by bleeding bright melodies into a mill of lo-fi industrial percussion and monotonous vocals, a compositional technique not unlike the signature methodology of Sonic Youth.
For all of Viet Cong’s well-worn ugliness ... their desperate, life-or-death romanticism ultimately leaves a stronger impression than mere shock value.
These are songs bestowed with heavy production, each track swathed in a fog of gauzy effects and processing. The result is something that sounds mechanical and generally detached from emotion.
I guess confidence is key god damn
I can absolutely get behind the sound of this album. This is some HARD hitting Post Punk. But also, there are some soft moments or more textured moments that make this a more dynamic experience. Another thing I really like about this album is the use of electronics. It’s kinda subtle, but there are some really cool sounding synths and pads. The biggest example of this to me is the song March of Progress, which has this 3 minute drony intro that I LOVE. ... read more
Damn this is one if the best post punk albums of the 2010s right here. Its noisy yet melodic and expieremntal in many of the tracks as well. This album also has a very new wave feel to it at times which makes it very unique in its field. Very great album with a concise tracklist as well.
Today i couldn't be bothered doing any normal album or anything because... I'm lazy, but also because I just wasn't feeling it at all, so instead I decided to go back to the goated playlist and find something
This is another discover weekly album and man this playlist is 2 for 2 so far because this is pretty great, it's a short but impactful 37 minutes of post punk topped off with a massive 11 minute song that really closes off the album tightly, also being one of the best songs on the album ... read more
album of the day
264/365
it’s post punk. reminds me of this heat in places but it’s much more conventional and that’s what is it’s downfall. i can’t say i love it, but i don’t dislike it.
FAV TRACK: Bunker Buster
1 | Newspaper Spoons 3:02 | 78 |
2 | Pointless Experience 2:59 | 81 |
3 | March of Progress 6:19 | 91 |
4 | Bunker Buster 5:55 | 91 |
5 | Continental Shelf 3:18 | 84 |
6 | Silhouettes 4:12 | 87 |
7 | Death 11:17 | 92 |
#5 | / | Sputnikmusic |
#6 | / | Norman Records |
#11 | / | Drowned in Sound |
#14 | / | No Ripcord |
#14 | / | Slant Magazine |
#19 | / | PopMatters |
#19 | / | Pretty Much Amazing |
#19 | / | The Skinny |
#21 | / | Treble |
#23 | / | FLOOD |