THE VACANCIES - Tantrum (www.blackheart.com)
Tantrum is a burst of pure punk rock. Like the Vacancies’ live show when they played at Asbury Lanes this past September, it blazes a trail with loud/ hard/fast rock 'n' roll! They didn't create this archetype but the album is very Casualities/ Bouncing Souls- worthy. But don't think for a minute that The Vacanices are anywhere near a copycat band - they’re not. They come up with strong melodies (every song on Tantrum), reeling off one maniacally catchy gem after another. Their pop-culture slant is current ("Sick Modern Era"), and one of the high points, "Believe," is a song that, on the surface, is about the state of current music, asking the universal question, "Where is the honesty?" But it can also be relevant toipolitics and in day to day living. "Strummer" is a dedication to the late, great Joe Strummer, that contains some cool Clash references, and along with songs like "Hand of Fear," and "Funeral," conjure up a wonderfully wretched reality. This is not self-indulgent, or smart-ass rock 'n' roll, it's proof that regular kids (they're in their twenties), could make a major indie label record they always imagined. What you hear is what you get, and what you'll hear is a lot of thrashy, enthusiastic melodies, like on "Shakedown." The closer "Savior" is a loud ballad with a decisively sharp rhythm guitar, and an intensely sensitive vocal showing plenty of focus that defines the lyrics. The Vacancies’ ramped up velocity and focused ferocity is evident in the production (Kenny Laguna), which gives the album a fresh, strong punk rock appeal. Tantrum is an album that easily translates into The Vacancies live show. They played a good portion of it at the Lanes, and the band shows plenty of promise for the future. They're a band that you won't get tired of seeing. - Phil Rainone
back to jerseybeat.com l back to top
CD Reviews - JerseyBeat.com 
