Vital Idles are a Glaswegian quartet whose raw, anxious post-punk sound recalls early Rough Trade acts like
the Raincoats and Kleenex. The group's members are mainstays of their city's underground scene -- they're heavily involved with zine publisher and art book shop Good Press, and guitarist Ruari MacLean was in the Slumberland-signed indie pop group
Golden Grrrls, in addition to playing in
Rose McDowall's band. Singer Jessica Higgins' lyrics are filled with unfinished sentences and stray thoughts, jumping from one uncertain feeling to another and rarely coming to a conclusion about anything. These aren't typical pop songs with easy hooks or choruses, yet there's something catchy and curious about them, and they're undeniably energetic. "Chains" is a particular standout, with a buoyant guitar riff and easygoing tempo framing nervously hopeful lyrics. "Fall into Shape" is faster and more punkish, as well as more defiant, with lyrics declaring "I don't believe and I don't accept." "Time Free" is another wiry punk blast that struggles to find solace, but at least there's a faint glimmer of optimism: "It doesn't do a whole lot, but it's better than nothing." The album's final two songs, "Now & Again" and "The Scenery," contain more than a touch of
the Smiths in their vocal melodies, but sound much less refined. As rudimentary as the album's recording quality is, it's still a significant step up from the band's two demo tapes from 2015, and the no-frills production befits the D.I.Y. musicianship and honest lyricism.
Vital Idles succeed at poetically expressing awkwardness and indecisiveness, and the best moments of their debut album are full of charm and excitement. ~ Paul Simpson