Opening with the cynical outburst "Patty Hearst," the scathing vocals of Austin Hughes lead the way on
Small Wire, the debut by New York quartet
VPN, previously known as Very Pleasant Neighbor. With Hughes' sisters, Patti Golden and Jean Rodd, on guitar and bass, drummer Eddie Gormley rounds out the group, who shows a remarkable maturity and precision for a band making its debut. "Eleanor (Has Four Arms)" is a quirky, unpredictable track, as the band changes tempo throughout, often favoring a deliberate and punk-tinged rock sound, while "Laughing for Help" sputters at a soft pace, showing that the band can change in a moment's notice. The band's experimental tendencies appear again on "Submarine," as the band shuns the post-punk label they're often tagged with on the strength and swagger of songs like "One Half of Our Funeral." The backing vocals by Golden and Rodd shine on "Don't Cut Me Out." The charming experimentation on "She Has a Leak" closes out the disc, with Hughes taking his boldest vocal and lyrical risks of the disc, pulling it off admirably. The 11-song disc was recorded with producers Bruce Calder and
Ray Martin, and was released in 1998 on Evil Teen Records. ~ Stephen Cramer