Review by AVA LIVERSIDGE
The mountains of rural Vermont have always been an unassuming host and home to an eclectic music scene. From blistering psych-rock, decades of jam bands, and the regional bluegrass ties, New England ought not be discounted from the coastal epicenters of what’s new and cool. The post punk emanating from Burlington thanks to experimental outfit Robber Robber is just further evidence.
Robber Robber—composed of Nina Cates (vocals / rhythm guitar), Zack James (drums), Will Krulak (lead guitar), and Carney Hemler (bass)—debut with LP Wild Guess .
Beloved in a community that honors a do-it-yourself ethos, Robber Robber have thus far honed their presence on stage. That is, the band performs often—at open mics, festival gigs, garages, house parties, you name it. Wild Guess marks the foursome’s attempt to harness the synergy they’ve tapped on-stage into a codified collection of songs. But, overwhelmed by the permanence of their studio decisions, Robber Robber didn’t sit down to write an album. As with the rest of their musical pursuits, Wild Guess is the product of uninhibited curiosity fed by the fertile creative grounds that surround them and the group’s expansive musical influences.
Something striking about this debut is that, despite the band’s efforts to pinpoint their largely conceptual approach, the project remains extremely loose in both sound and execution. Lead single “Sea or War” finds a ferocious tenor in an unrelenting percussion section and lead guitar lines that escape even the most dutiful listener.
Blanketed in fuzz and with a Dead Weather-esque baroqueness, “Dial Tone” is classic punk, screeching instrumental solos included. Second single “Backup Plan” sees much of the same viscerality, though opting for the mechanical simplicity that has remained a loyal friend to punk rockers for decades.
Robber Robber describe their debut project LP Wild Guess as “an exercise in tension and release.” While all music is just this to some extent, it’s not hard to hear the group’s unorthodox approach in this handful of singles. They are cohesive in a way that’s new for the group, but the tracks themselves don’t feel distinct. Products of pure experimentation and a lackadaisical harmonic approach, Robber Robber created a collection of sonic vignettes. And I have no complaints.
Check out Wild Guess here:
