Houston Calling

Review: Voyager One, Afterhours In The Afterlife

March 25th, 2008 · No Comments

Voyager One
Afterhours In The Afterlife
Loveless Records

Voyager One vocalist/guitarist Peter Marchese definitely takes his words to heart. On “The Future Is Obsolete,” he sings, “Let’s start again,” an idea that mirrors the musical shift the band makes on their latest album. The Seattle group expands on the dreamy walls of sound showcased best on 2005’s Dissolver and utilizes technology–mainly electronic beats–as the songs’ core rhythm. Instead of the mostly organic feel of their earlier work, Voyager One now takes a more modern approach to their songs, rather than simply being an early nineties Britrock throwback (albeit a good one). The ethereal pop sensibilities that make the band’s songs so attractive are still present, but Afterhours In The Afterlife should quash the comparisons to My Bloody Valentine and other British shoegazers most associated with the band’s previous releases. The spacey drones aren’t completely gone (“Give,” “Beautiful Wreckage,” “Sine Waves”) but are interspersed with danceable upbeat tunes (most notably the Depeche Mode-tinged first single, “Bed Of Sound”). Guitarist Jeramy Koepping still shines (especially on “Here”–a swirling masterpiece–and the fuzzed-out “Ocean Grey”), as do Marchese’s low-key but not unintelligible vocals. The album isn’t as much a switch in sounds as the like-minded Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s Howl was; instead, it’s a progression that Voyager One is smart to make and one that should build on the fanbase their music deserves. —David A. Cobb

Tags: Music · Reviews

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