Tracks

Voxtrot: "Raised By Wolves"

(2005)

By Aaron Newell | 10 January 2008

Other possible names for Voxtrot:

Arcade Parade

These guys filter '80s Moz through '00s Belle and Sebastien and chuck in the most wonderfully precious, chimey Walkmen guitars as if lifted from a “What’s In It For Me” limited 7” on 45 rpm. If the Smiths were the sound of spoiled-rotten fingerpoint UK librarypunk (a category), so are these guys, except New York via Austin where they drink the same water as Britt Daniel. Polished sound, polished attitude, swagger-in-bloom with smarty-pants use of pacing, subtle synthwork, and forever-swinging guitar chords. Jukebox candy.

Saying Yeah to Your Hands Gave Me the Clap

But so bitter, and better for it. “Raised By Wolves” documents a perpetual break-up, complete with the bouncy downward spiral of post-split booty-weening: “First you fade into the background / Wouldn’t even call me / Had the nerve to leave me / Go ahead and love me / I’m a hungry man / Ever since you went away.” Vocalist Ramesh Srivastava sinks poison-tipped needles of guilt into his ex (“I will never love like you / But you will probably hate like me” / “I will never live like you / But you will probably die like me”) and has a great time navigating a complicated “screw off”/ “screw on” relationship. We, the golden-hearted fans, are on his side because we’ve done that shit he’s talking about to someone and still feel kinda bad about it: “If you love me / well / then leave me / ‘cause I wanna settle down.” Jerry Springer for humans.

Think About Vox

Sometimes Ramesh’s endearing emoting sacrifices the fullness of his vocals, and you wish he would’ve held that note a little longer, or not had to struggle that little bit to stay in the song. But, then again, Bono’s had an ok career.

Fire Wolf

I think that they are mutant superheroes.