Arty and angular but hitting with the impact of a snotty young punk outfit,
Viet Cong's debut EP
Cassette (so titled because it was initially released on the then-newly hip tape format) suggests what early period
Roxy Music or mid- to late-'70s
David Bowie (when both of them were hanging out with
Brian Eno) might have sounded like if they'd emerged from the chilly climes of Canada in the 21st century rather than the hipper locales of England, and had developed a passing interest in power pop and indie rock en route. The semi-lo-fi production of most of the tracks paradoxically gives this music a sound that's more current than their apparent influences, but the guitars from Monty Munro and Danny Christiansen split the difference between prog-era expression and post-
Sonic Youth atonality, especially on the extended finale "Select Your Drone," while the band show they can readily embrace a more melodic energy on tunes like "Throw It Away" and "Static Wall," where they use electronics to punctuate the songs with silicon textures. There's a veneer of studied cool wrapped around these songs, but the performances boast plenty of energy, especially the furious "Structureless Design" and the live cut "Dark Entries," where drummer Mike Wallace really shows what he can do. There's enough happening on
Cassette that one can readily imagine
Viet Cong going in any number of different directions in the wake of this release, but all seven songs are intelligent and engaging, and whether the band is going for ragged noise or off-kilter pop, they deliver something worth hearing. This EP leaves no doubt that
Viet Cong are a band with real potential that discriminating listeners should watch. ~ Mark Deming