photo by Jimmy Del Ponte; photo courtesy of Viruette

EP Review of Viruette: Waylaid in Aspic

Viruette‘s Waylaid in Aspic can best be described as long form, loosely structured, tunefully-sung musical poetry with an edge. Viruette’s music is a form of progressive alt-rock, with songs that are lyric-heavy and musically engaging. The style reminds me a bit of the energetic alt-rock I heard occasionally while getting my music journalism start in Boston many, many years ago, with twists and turns that keep things interesting. And all those words – as a singer, I’d have to devote weeks of study to them if I wanted to remember more than half of them! – serve as another instrument, with an unexpected vocal cadence providing a slightly off-balance aspect to the tunes on …Aspic.

cover artwork by Adam Kane; image courtesy of Viruette

Waylaid in Aspic‘s five tracks each offer something appealing. If I had to pick a favorite, I’m partial to EP-opener “Sick Hominid,” with its tempo changes, variety of vocal stylings, and somewhat haunting vibe.

“Superanima,” though, is sometimes my preferred track, as it plugs along at a fun pace, has a singalongable “doo-doo, doo-doo” part, and has lyrics like “Superior mama needs a man with a real superanima, a madonna-fied interior. That lab rat’s kissing cats, and now I’m so alone. I want to drag you down…” No, I don’t know what it all means. But man, I take my hat off to the creative wordsmithing.

“Pollyanna (You’re My Billboard),” the song from whose lyrics the EP title is nabbed, is a little milder musically than the first two tracks but sports an off-kilter carnival midway sound that adds variety to this cohesively offbeat, exceptionally engaging EP.

photo by Jimmy Del Ponte; photo courtesy of Viruette

“She Dreams in Green Screen” offers an exit ramp from the carnival via a funhouse mirror vibe before the collection closes with the fun, energetic “The Water Beckons,” probably the most broadly-accessible track in the group, its pop-friendly finesse rooted in a timely pop-rock vibe but with a slightly punk edge. The whole EP is a great listening experience, but if you need to introduce a non-artistic friend to Viruette, perhaps start with “The Water Beckons.”

While the band’s earlier single releases of “Viruette,” “Call Me Annabel,” and “Maimed” offered an interesting glimpse into Viruette’s sound, the longer-form canvas of a five-song EP, the ensemble’s first multi-song release, provided a chance to take listeners on a journey, a goal the guys accomplished with aplomb. I can’t wait to hear Viruette’s next creation.

I’ve not yet heard Viruette perform live, but I fully expect this music to translate into a raucous evening of ear-ringing fun. I don’t see any mention of upcoming gigs, but there’s an events tab on the band’s Facebook page you should check periodically. And I see the band occasionally promotes its gigs via Instagram, as well.