Hot take: progressive rock should be fun. Somewhere along the line the spirit that initially ran through progressive rock got not exactly lost, but rather somewhat buried. It got buried under tired diatribes against machines (looking at you, Dream Theater), under endless emphasis on technicality for technicity’s sake, and what was always a genre that was about the joy of experimentation, the sheer life that runs through making good music. Luckily, as I said above, this vibe has not been lost and there are still bands out there keeping it alive. Even young bands, as can be attested by the topic of this, our second premiere for the day, Vamoosery. These guys reached out to me citing Big Big Train as an influence so you know I had to check their music out and I was not disappointed.
They can be best described as a progressive alt-rock band, though there’s certainly some metal in there at times as you can hear on “Pieces”, which we’re premiering here. Throughout the entire track runs the glue which keeps everything running smoothly together: groove. The progressive elements are most present on the bass and the drums which chart an off-kilter but intensely danceable thread through the whole thing. The guitars, whether the lighter, less processed tone on the verses or the chunkier, heavier timbre present on the chorus, keep pace, giving things the momentum and kick that they need to stay engaging. And, on top of it all, excellent vocals create the main emotional core of the track, filled with hooks and great swagger.
So, there you have it! Reinventing the wheel? Perhaps not. Making damn fine music that’s fun to listen to, has some interesting things going for it, and is, at the end of the day, groovy and light-hearted? Most definitely. Vamoosery are gearing up to release their debut album sometime early next year. Head on over to their Bandcamp page to stay updated on that if any of the above rings your bells; you probably won’t regret it.