Viet Cong - Viet Cong

Viet Cong

Viet Cong

20 January 2015

Jagjaguwar/Flemish Eye

 

4 stars out of 5

 

 

Calgarian post-punkers Viet Cong formed out of the artsy ashes of Women, a band that saw (possibly) a violent break up on stage during a show in 2010, and the death of guitarist Christopher Reimer a year and a half later. Surviving members formed two different bands: Pat Flegel formed Cindy Lee, while Matthew Flegel (bass, vocals) and Michael Wallace (drums) created the institution now known as Viet Cong, along with guitarists Scott Munro and Daniel Christiansen. Their 2013 self-released cassette EP, fittingly titled Cassette, made some waves on the college radio charts and was re-released the following year on Brooklyn label Mexican Summer. And now we have their first proper album, preceded by the single “Continental Shelf.”

 

The album consists of bleak post-punk, reminiscent of The Sound but denser and noisier, with occasional nods to the insular indie rock universe created by fellow Canadians Wolf Parade. Viet Cong would not seem out of place if included on a playlist titled “England, 1981.” Shorter tracks such as “Pointless Experience” and the aforementioned single are crisp little cookies that taste great but scratch your throat all the way down (that’s a good thing). The VC bring a noise that is visceral and cathartic, causing both uncomfortable tension and sweet release simultaneously. The album’s closer is its epic highlight: “Death” explores many different tempos and textures over more than eleven minutes, setting the bar very high for future releases by what is quickly becoming one of Canada’s great new underground bands.

 

reviewed by Richard Krueger