A Vulture Wake - “Lost Cause of the Year”
Confused and enthused… that’s how I would describe my initial reaction to “Lost Cause of the Year,” by A Vulture Wake. However, talented and inventive is the only way to describe these guys. With top-notch musicianship and solid vocals, this is an adventurous musical amalgamation, as the verse section spreads out in an oscillation between tight riffing and floating spaces that is too cohesive to be as chaotic as it may first seem. The controlled chaos coalesces nicely into the chorus, if one could call it that. After several listens, I would say that while it’s not catchy, it is definitely compelling! The lyrics don’t repeat, but they are delivered with vigor and a melodic sensibility that draws the listener in.
My prog-loving brain wants more of this, even though it isn’t prog (it’s categorized as punk), but this is something different. This reminds me of At The Drive-In, not because they sound like them, but because they are a talented, genre-challenging anomaly. I was so intrigued that I went back to their most recent EP, Kingdom, and was rewarded with more inventive, yet accessible, punk-prog hybridized rock. If you want something fresh, A Vulture Wake are definitely worth a deeper dive!