On the heels of
Vol. 1 released five months earlier,
Vault, Vol. 2 collects 25 previously unreleased demos recovered from the dying laptop of
STRFKR's main songwriter, Josh Hodges. Varying in length from around 30 seconds to three minutes, they're mostly fragments of songs -- in both vertical and horizontal senses. With some recordings dating back to before the band's debut, and none intended for release, they come advertised as a look into the songwriting process. Given the sketchy nature of the material, what's surprising about much of it is how catchy these kernels are and how well some of the solo keyboard or guitar pieces work as is. While they're lean for
STRFKR's typically vibrant electro-rock, some function as perfectly serviceable lo-fi-as-an-aesthetic recordings. With electronics and keys, acoustic guitar, bass and drums, octave vocals, and multiple verses, "Queer Bot," for instance, wouldn't be too out of place on a
(Sandy) Alex G album. Elsewhere, although under a minute in length, "Wasting Away" is an intimate acoustic guitar duet that also holds its own among the post-
Elliott Smith set. Those more structured (if not fully produced) songs are mixed in with tracks that serve to take note of a groove or other potential building block ("Laa Loo," "Beat 8"), and segments that end more abruptly. Still, while it's a grab bag more than an album, and not for those seeking new
STRFKR singles, what's here is engaging and coherent (as opposed to buried in hiss). As much as for dedicated fans who want to hear whatever Hodges puts out there, it may appeal to aficionados of singer/songwriter-type lo-fi. ~ Marcy Donelson