Week of 2.16.15

Album spotlight: Viet Cong – Viet Cong

“Lately there’s a wound that needs some healing soon.”

After three minutes of droning synthesizer and pulsating percussion, this line appears out of the thick noise, clear as day from singer and bass player Matt Flegel on “March of Progress.” The dynamic shift is quick, unexpected and drastic.

On its debut album, Viet Cong explores this relationship between harsh moments of droning noise and hammering rhythms with cathartic moments of lush harmonies and twinkling guitars.

The band is based out of Calgary, Alberta and its songs score the cold loneliness of the northern Canadian city. Icy, driving, post-punk guitars cut through moments of harsh, howling noise which usually find their way into cathartic, lush harmonies. Massive, intricate drumwork from Mike Wallace barrels through the mix like a methodical plow driver through huge snowbanks, cutting through every frozen mound.

Viet Cong is not an easy listen, especially for those who were expecting the same garage rock peppiness that the band displayed on “Cassette,” their release from 2014. Viet Cong is both tough and forgiving, bare and lush, delicate and punishing, creating a challenging and complicated listen. The album tries your patience and endurance, all the way up to “Death,” the brutal closer, but much like a subzero Michigan winter, you come out a stronger person after it’s through.

Recommended if you like: Joy Division, head banging and frostbite.

Start with: “Bunker Buster” or “Continental Shelf”

WXOU’s top ten albums for 2.16.15

1. CLOAKROOM, Further Out 

2. TWERPS, Range Anxiety  

3. VIET CONG, Viet Cong     

4. SLEATER-KINNEY, No Cities To Love  

5. TY SEGALL, Mr. Face [EP]     

6. JIB KIDDER, Teaspoon To The Ocean    

7. TITLE FIGHT, Hyperview  

8. DR. DOG, Live At A Flamingo Hotel  

9. SIDEKICKS, Runner In The Nerved World

10. BC CAMPLIGHT, How To Die In The North

The WXOU Music Department submits a weekly list of its 30 top albums to the College Music Journal that are currently being played at the station.

Tune into 88.3 FM WXOU Radio to hear these hits all week or visit wxou.org for more.