Vai Audio – Animalore

Over the past few years the Berkley school of music educated Via Audio has rightfully gained the distinction of being the equivalent to a musical sponge, sucking up and internalizing as many influences as possible.  Nowhere is this mission more evident than on Via Audio’s sophomore full-length, Animalore.  Here the band surveys everything from disco and folk, to plodding indie and poppy modern electronica.  That Via Audio assembles such seemingly opposed elements into a remarkably consistent package gives them an undeniable draw, making Animalore a consistently engaging listen.

Part of the band’s secret can be found in the band’s writing credits.  Writing duties fall upon the band’s dual vocalists, Jessica Martins and Tom Deis, who each bring with them different stylistic influences.  Jessica’s compositions typically play to her naturally soft delivery, while Deis tends to follow today’s catchy indie pop trends.

When Deis is on his game Via Audio’s place in the indie spotlight feels well earned.  Tracks like “Tigers” and “Goldrush” borrow the catchy electronic beats of influential indie poppers The Postal Service, and blend them with the funky guitar of 70’s revivalists like Men, Women & Children.  Such instances feel incredibly simple, but ever so tight and addictive.  But Deis isn’t a one trick pony, as he also takes credit for the album’s diverse worldly feel, with a subtle Japanese undertone building on “Too Quiet” and coming into fruition on “Lizard Song.”

However, Deis can get carried away at times and sacrifice quality control for all out wackiness.  The album’s lead single, “Babies,” tries satirizing mainstream dance idols like Justin Timberlake with comically sexualized, club-inspired lyrics like “put your hands up, I got the place surrounded, I know the world is overcrowded, but I want to make babies with you.”  They’re just so embarrassingly cringe inducing that it’s hard taking the band seriously.  Thankfully Deis redeems himself with thoughtful passages and carefully crafted imagery behind tracks like “Summer Stars,” but the decision to make “Babies” the lead single confounds.

Meanwhile, Jessica Martins only takes credit on four of the album’s twelve tracks, but in many ways her impact holds more ground than her male counterpart.  When at a track’s centerpiece, her delicate Ruth Theodore-like whisper charms and mesmerizes; and in many cases helps the album rebound from occasional spurts of mediocrity.  Naturally, the decision to open the album with “Hello” is nothing short of genius.  The track’s mysterious, meandering instrumentation, coupled with Martins’ almost smoky essence makes for an instantly gripping intro.  And when the abomination that is “Babies” ends, “Tigers” starts up, scaling back the disco to manageable levels and returning respectability to the band’s vision.  She’s also responsible for the album’s most exciting country-folk outing in “Oh Blah Wee,” an energetic, moveable piece exercising just enough restraint for keeping a sense of wonder alive amidst a slew of toe tapping acoustics.

Despite reviewing Animalore according to writing credits, the entire ensemble flows with considerable cohesion.  Deis and Martins compliment one another admirably, and when they back each other vocally listeners are in for a real treat.  While I’ve made Martins out as responsible for the band’s pinnacle achievements, Deis generally does pretty well for himself too.  And despite a couple of glaring missteps when flirting with satire, Animalore is a varied, exciting listen.  Listeners looking for an absorbing venture should take note.