VAST ROBOT ARMIES - ALBUM REVIEW

Vast Robot Armies - Goodnight Myopia 
Vast Robot Armies - Goodnight Myopia

Seriously? More stuff from Canada? What's going on over there? It's like a musical revolution. In the snow. Vast Robot Armies is the studio name of one Jason Thomson and 'Goodnight Myopia' is a collection of expansive indie tunes that combines alot of the things I loved about the 90s with some more forward thinking. The End. Oh, what? You want more? Sheesh. Well the album opens up with 'For What It's Worth', a pounding, stomping indie tune that is soon overwhelmed by the sweeping, and Elbow-esque delights of 'The Cost Of Doing Business'. The subdued beginnings of '6 Year Vignettes' soon give way to a proper indie-pop slow dance, the kind Feeder used specailise in back in the day. 'Old Hat' is where things start to get going though as the urgency of the tubthumping and jittery, Jam-esque guitars bring the album to life in a vibrant, essential style.

Apart from potentially being a very rude anagram, 'Bullish One Hitters' is like a Duran Duran meets Gary Numan song that's been created for a sparse, bleak Bond film that hasn't been made yet. There's even some awesome use of pitch bend which there just isn't enough of these days. 'Heads' is a fairly non-descript wash of indie guitars but 'Grey Area Living' is a far more interesting affair with sinister, haunting pianos being smashed in to a thousand tiny pieces by a scuzzy bass line and in-yer-face drums and vocals that are delivered through teeth clenched in frustration. 'We Go Where We Know' has an early U2 feel about it as the drums and guitars jostle for position and attention on the record. Finishing up with a tune called 'Epic' is always going to be a brave move but the brooding, menacing mood builds and builds until a sense of frustration is released and dissipates in to the cool, Canadian night air. And you know the best thing about this album? It's free if you want it to be. Give it a listen first though, you might just decide it's worth a few bucks.


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