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Album Details

• Artist: Archers Of Loaf
• Album: Vee Vee
• Label: Alias
• Year of Release: 1995
• ME Rating: Indie Classic
• Reviewed by: christopherdrew on 2006-12-28

"I got the skin of a shark/and I'm gonna make a muscle...I got an ill will/and a pair of brass knuckles" is how Eric Bachmann announces himself on 'Nostalgia', before launching into a jackhammer of a chorus, and if anything, 'Nostalgia' reflects the overall mood of Archers Of Loaf's sophomore effort, Vee Vee. Icky Mettle might've introduced us to the Archers, but this was their true show of force, as snarls of feedback that would eventually become signature for the band accompany a constant theme of aggression in Bachmann's lyrics. "Watch the wholesale slaughter of the whole downtown" he intones in 'Fabricoh', then in 'Harnessed In Slums' he advises us to "...snuff the leader with the bad-assed plan", while the rest of the band swagger about like 50's bruisers, barrel-chested and ham-fisted in sound. Despite their best efforts, however, they can never truly hide the melodies and hooks, no matter how many layers of noise they create nor sounds they invent (and they invent quite a few, believe you me...); this is what makes Vee Vee all the more enjoyable, as there's always a balance maintained between raw power and pop sensibility. Vee Vee is mean, callous and bullying, but like most abusive relationships, you find yourself always coming back for more.

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