Spoken word poetry greets us when we open the doors to Vietnam, the first full-length release by the band with the same name. The music gives off an air of 60s and 70s protest music, which is fitting given the band’s name.
The lyrics evoke a kind of ‘stand up and shout about something’ feeling, made more intense by the unison vocal lines that feature so heavily on so many of the songs. The more spoken verses are a bit irritating at times and remind me of a drunken karaoke contest where you are not allowed to sing anything except Lou Reed or early Dylan.
But thank god, around track four, the wonderful “Mr. Goldfinger,” Michael William calms down and lets his incredible voice rock us out for the rest of the album. “Toby” is a heart-wrenchingly beautiful eulogy ballad shouted as sweetly as one can shout anything and “Gabe” is probably the most enticing invitation to go on a road trip I’ve had in a long time.
But the song that really drives the album is the balls-to-the-wall sonic kick to the face, “Welcome To My Room.” It will be a damn dirty shame if that song doesn’t wind up in the history books along side “Rock ‘n’ Roll” by the Velvet Underground, “Suffragette City” by Bowie or Dylan’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues.” And stay tuned after the last song, “Too Tired,” to hear a truly brilliant hidden track.