General Admission: Voxtrot @ Rothko
It's exciting to see a band like Voxtrot at this point in their development. They have a unique blend of untapped potential and lo-fi naïveté. They are still so young. So raw. Their on stage persona is that of a bunch of kids messing around in their parents garage after school. It's fun and free and almost hard to take too seriously. What's so fascinating is that, in stark contrast to this novice image, they have written a collection of absolutely perfect pop songs that are light-years ahead of where their experience would lead you to believe they should be. A band this amateur shouldn't be able to create songs like this. It just doesn't add up.
We were lucky to catch them at Rothko last Friday night (8/12) during a brief and rare east-coast stint. They played through a strong set of jangly pop gems with a splash of genuine enthusiasm rarely seen from today’s sea of oft-jaded indie-pop bands. The Smiths comparisons are perhaps the easiest to make, as songs like ‘The Start of Something’ clearly reference 'This Charming Man'. However, the positive tone and energy of their music, even in the slower tracks, differ so greatly from the mope and gloom that Morrissey poured out - that they end up taking on a completely different end form. These songs, especially when performed live, have a hope and life about them that is extremely refreshing to hear.
Voxtrot is a special band. We have no doubt that if they stay the course and continue recording the endless amounts of potential hits they’ve already written, you will be hearing them blasted through malls and minivans in no time. They’ll be back in town for CMJ next month, and you can listen at their Myspace page. Be sure not to miss them.
Previously in GA: Kings of Leon/Secret Machines/Helio Sequence @ Roseland Ballroom
