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- Verified Buyer
Well after seeing this amazing album go unreviewed for quite some time I felt I had to be the one to finally give it the recognition it deserves. After listening to the sound samples above you should be able to determine what feelings this album hopes to exude and those are despair, disappointment, and self discovery/realization. This is cemented when you read the poetic lyrics inside the booklet. The beauty is that where other bands come off as cheesy, derivative, and exploitative doing this style, Abe Vigoda has innovated and 100% achieved it's artistic goals while remaining believable and genuine. In my eyes they are well on their way to attaining their status alongside masters The Cure, Joy Division, The Chameleons, Christian Death, and Echo and the Bunnymen while being as unique as each of those bands are. This album truly sounds like no other that I have EVER heard (and I have heard a lot, lot of albums). As one of a kind as the album is I also think it is incredibly accessible to anyone that has even a slight appreciation for "gothic", "post-punk", "shoegaze", or the more obscure "coldwave" genres.The reason it is so strong is the consistency of the songwriting. I never skip a track when listening as each song provides something new to discover and appreciate. On top of that, vocals are the defining part of a band for me, and if I like or dislike a band is almost always determined by the vocalist. Michael Vidal, Abe Vigoda's vocalist, exceeds my expectations completely. His vocals are emotionally evocative, forceful, dynamic and "new". In "new" I mean they so good and original, that they have added an additional "style" of vocals to popular music that we may one day see emulated much like Bowie, Lou Reed, and Ian Curtis. I can only sincerely hope (and harass the band) that they continue to expand on their new sound while not abandoning it, which "Crush" almost completely does to their previous style of self dubbed "tropical punk". Of course this is very selfish and maybe a little close-minded but my ideal path for the band is that this album provides them the critical attention and monetary support they deserve to enable them on their next album to go to an even better studio, hire the best engineer, producer and mixer they can afford and record an undeniable classic. I truly think they have that potential. So please, try to help my dream come true and BUY this album anywhere you can. Don't let it be one of those albums a few people heard at release and 15 years later people wonder how it could have been overlooked. You will not be disappointed.
