Every once in a while, I stumble across some songs I’ve never heard of and wonder how they’ve managed to stay off my radar.
That’s pretty much my reaction to Vienna Vienna and Entertain Me. This six-song EP is packed with hit songs that make me wonder why more people aren’t talking about him. How is his music not everywhere?
There’s a lot going on here. Vienna Vienna works in this glammy, energetic style of indie rock that pulls from the 80s. There are also fuzzy guitars, synths, big rhythms, hand claps, and all sorts of little sounds and flourishes that make these songs immediately infectious.
The vocals are a big part of what makes it work, too. There’s a distinctive character to his delivery, whether he’s singing with swagger and confidence, leaning into a more conversational style, or opening up into a bigger chorus.
“Idle Hands” is a terrific introduction, immediately establishing that blend of 80s-inspired rock, glam, and contemporary indie sounds. There’s a real heaviness to the guitars, but also a playful quality to the arrangement, with hand claps and a little cash-register-like sound tucked into the rhythm. The vocals have a great swagger, and the whole thing has a slightly sardonic, tongue-in-cheek quality. Beneath all that infectious energy is a pretty sharp take on how being constantly online can consume our attention and pull us away from actually experiencing the real world. It’s a wonderfully catchy reminder to put down the phone and touch some grass.
The hooks just keep coming with “Coolest Thing Alive,” a song that combines an enormous 80s-style pop sensibility with fuzzy indie rock. The vocal phrasing is particularly effective, drawing you into the melody and making you anticipate each little build and payoff. It’s pitch-perfect songwriting. There’s also an interesting tension in the lyrics, recognizing the destructive behavior and struggles of someone while still seeing the value in the person underneath it all.
“Molly” shifts gears, moving into a brighter, janglier indie pop sound. The opening guitar work has a wonderful Johnny Marr quality, and there’s a definite Smiths-like feeling to some of this song. There’s something about the way the melody and vocals make yearning and misery sound like the same thing. The lyrics play with affection, desire, and the kind of attachment that can become a little too consuming.
That emotional uncertainty takes on a different shape in “Company Hunting,” which blends contemporary pop-rock with some R&B-flavored vocal phrasing. The song has a terrific sense of movement, building into big melodic swells, with some especially good guitar work. There’s a real feeling of loneliness and depression running through it, as someone looks for a real connection. There’s also a strong sense of the damage that an oppressive religious upbringing can leave behind, particularly when someone is trying to reconcile those beliefs with their own desires and need for intimacy.
“Buzz” brings things back around to a more playful sound, although there’s plenty of frustration underneath it. The conversational vocal delivery has a very Pulp-like quality. It reminds me of Jarvis Cocker on “Common People.” The drums and guitars give the song a terrific build, and the chorus is another absolute earworm. It’s a catchy, occasionally funny look at the exhausting experience of living in the modern world, surrounded by bad news and digital noise.
The EP closes with “Monarch,” which might be its most emotionally startling song. The verses begin with a conversational delivery before the music opens up into a much heavier, grungier chorus. There’s a grungy, alternative-rock intensity to the contrast. The lyrics suggest someone who has reached a very dark place, perhaps even contemplating ending their life, before something changes and they decide they want to be part of the world again. It’s a powerful way to close the EP.
Entertain Me is a terrific discovery. The contrast between the infectiousness of the music and the vulnerability of the songs themselves really hits my sweet spot, where rock ‘n’ roll swagger meets authenticity.
These are incredibly catchy tracks, but there’s a lot of loneliness, uncertainty, desire, and emotional struggle underneath those hooks. Vienna Vienna has the ability to move between different styles without missing a step, and there’s a real confidence in the way he shapes these songs.
Entertain Me has me clamoring for more from Vienna Vienna.
Verdict: Great
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