Wampire - Curiosity
Label.........................: Polyvinyl
Genre.........................: Indie
StoreDate.....................: May-14-2013
Source........................: CDDA
Grabber.......................: Exact Audio Copy (Secure Mode)
Encoding Scheme...............: Lame 3.98.4 V0 VBR Joint-Stereo
Size..........................: 57.42 MB
Total Playing Time............: 32:50
Release Notes:
After forming Wampire, Rocky Tinder and Eric Phipps steadily began to
make a name for themselves in the same Portland, OR, scene that has
produced labelmates STRFKR as well as Unknown Mortal Orchestra.
It makes sense, then, that Wampire came to Polyvinyl's attention when
the duo opened for STRFKR at a hometown Portland show and that UMO's
bassist Jacob Portrait produced WampireÆs debut full-length, Curiosity.
The choice of Portrait was a natural one, with both Tinder and Phipps
believing he'd be able to contribute almost as much to the record as
they would.
And so, in mid-August Tinder and Phipps each brought fragments of song
ideas into the studio, before deconstructing, re-arranging, and fitting
them back together piece by piece -- at times lyrics and melodies were
thrown out, brought back from the dead, or improvised on the spot.
This loosely structured approach made the process truly collaborative,
with producer Portrait occasionally chipping in ideas for lyrics,
arrangements, and instrumentation.
The resulting nine tracks are instantly memorable, while defying easy
categorization. Says Phipps, "We realized the record began to stray away
from having a 'sound' and gradually became a platter with an assortment
of sounds. The record showcases a flavor we haven't quite dug into
before."
The album's diverse combination of sounds ultimately helped give birth
to its title, Curiosity -- a word that invokes the listener's wonder at
what will greet their ears next, while also describing the overall
curious tone the record possesses.
First single, "The Hearse" serves as the perfect introduction for those
unfamiliar with the band -- its opening notes swelling instantly with
electronic organs over a driving drum beat. By the time bass and vocals
kick in, youÆre already hooked.
Elsewhere, "Orchards" weaves an infectiously breezy melody on the
strength of vocal harmonizing, tuneful whistling, and undulating guitar
lines.
In some cases, Wampire's unique rhythms are best described by the band
members, as with "Trains," a Motown-meets-Strokes track that Tinder
perfectly summarizes like so: "It's sexy, sounds huge, and by all means
should be blamed for future babies."
The album concludes with the equally sensual "Magic Light," a song
centered around a dark seductive bass groove that sets the tone for
PhippsÆ come-hither lyrics.
It's the kind of track that draws you ever further into the record's
beguiling clutches, leaving a lasting impression that remains well after
its final notes have faded out.
Tracklisting
01. The Hearse 4:40
02. Orchards 2:59
03. Spirit Forest 3:08
04. Giants 4:07
05. I Can't See Why 2:49
06. Outta Money 4:43
07. Trains 3:26
08. Snacks 2:46
09. Magic Light 4:12
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