Voxtrot--Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives

Austin is pumping out more than its share of indie successes lately. Sound Team, Cry Blood Apache, Belaire, and now Voxtrot that has just released their second EP, "Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives." The EP is some pretty standard indie rock, incorporating nonstandard rock instruments like a string section and a piano here and there, and even edging in on a jazz combo sound in some songs. The instrumentals are usually secondary to the vocals, but when they come to front such as in the EP’s namesake song, it is bright and bouncy. The majority of the songs are fast-paced and keeps things that way, making them interesting and fun to listen to.

However, what Voxtrot does best is its vocals. Not the lyrics themselves per say, while good they’re not uniquely deep or inspiring, but the rhythm of the vocals is fast paced and wraps itself around the instrumentals. When the guitars peak and things speed up, so do the vocals, and when they slow down to a simple slow-driving bass beat, the vocals get slower and deeper as well. Mostly they’re very fast and winding, if the EP came with lyrics it would have to be at least a dozen pages long for the five songs.

The EP ends on a weak note, the last few songs are slow-burners and repetitive, losing attention gained with the fast-paced roller coaster rides of "Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives" and "Rise Up in the Dirt." While Voxtrot does have a mature and skilled instrumental sound and the lyrics are somewhat interesting, its the rhythm of the vocals that makes them standout in the crowd. Voxtrot is a well-written poem that happens to be backed by skilled artists.

(Published at LosingToday.com)