 | Tracklist:
1.Tearing Down the Walls
2. Burning Bridges
3. In the Name of What?
4. Shit Stroll
5. Edenquest
6. This is Control
7. National Myth
8. Once Pure
9. Un-thought of Heroes
Release Date: 1998 | |
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| Summary: A teenage Tom Gabel drops out of his high school gov't class and Vivida Vis is born. |
3 of 6 thought this review was well written
Before Against Me! became one of the biggest up and coming names on the pop charts, the moniker was attributed to one 17-year old Tom Gabel who put out a raw, passionate demo tape entitled Vivida Vis. (The band line up at this point has long been a point of contention, but it’s fair to say that at this point, most, if not all of the creative forces behind Against Me! can be credited to Tom.)
One of the glaring features of the demo is the shoddy production. The omnipresent tape hiss sets the stage for a distinctly DIY experience. Tom’s always screamed vocals sound shredded and distorted, the bass warbles and the acoustic guitars buzz. This could either make or break the listening experience, depending on your point of view.
The songs on this demo can be divided into two categories. The first type features marching snare drum rolls and a more linear song structure. These songs can either be awesome, (“Tearing Down the Walls,” “Burning Bridges”) where the songwriting is concise and biting, or lack luster, (“National Myth,” “Once Pure”) where meandering instrumentation and poor lyricism weigh them down. The second tier of songs are more conventionally written, featuring more hooks and distinct choruses. These songs are the shining moments of Vivida Vis, whether it be the “Na Na Na Na Na” chorus of “*** Stroll” or the palm muted power chord sequence of “This is Control.”
The sound for the demo is undeniably folk-punk; the Billy Bragg influence is clear as day. The instrumentation is that of a folk outfit: no electric guitars here. The songs are played with such force and grit, however, that folk music is the furthest thing away from any listener’s mind.
The lyrics are sure to rub some people the wrong way, that is, if they can understand them. The subject matter is Anarchy and why it is best for the world. Reading the lyrics to “National Myth” just makes me cringe at the naiveté. However, the lyrics aren’t all bad, some sharp social critique shines through in songs like “Burning Bridges,” and “This is Control.”
However, Vivida Vis clearly has a limited audience. Die-hard AM! fans looking to trace the band’s roots and folk-punk enthusiasts are sure to make up the bulk of the audience for this demo tape. For those who aren’t acquainted with ***ty production, the harshness of the sound could be a big turn off. But anyone who can resist screaming along to the “Na Na” part in “*** Stroll” doesn’t have a soul.
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Album Rating: 4
god damn album art.
and i just realized i suck at reviewing. its been a few years since i was doing it regularly for the school newspaper. i need to get back into the swing of things.
| | | Album Rating: 4
whoops double post
album art fixd
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Good review. I haven't heard this but I am going to get Axl rose soon.
Digging: Opeth - Ghost Reveries
| | | Album Rating: 4
yea def dont start here
| | | Album Rating: 4
who negged me wtf?
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Yeah review really wasn't neg worthy...
Digging: Vordr - I
| | | Album Rating: 1.5
Extremely... overrated. I'm a big fan of Against Me! and Tom Gabel for years running, and I just think this stuff is completely overrated. I get it, it's very passionate. And I agree, but looking at it from a musical perspective, and as an artist myself, just because some of my earlier songs were passionate, I know it doesn't make them better... in fact they're terrible.
"Shit Stroll" is the one timeless track here.
Digging: Strung Out - Agents Of The Underground | | | Album Rating: 4
dude, do you listen to anything DIY
three negs, i must have some trolls after me, haha
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wtf why was this negged
have a pos dude
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