Artist: Voxtrot

Album: “Voxtrot”

Label: Playlouder

Released: May 22, 2007

Availability: CD, iTunes

For every artist who decries the music industry’s supposed downfall since the advent of the World Wide Web, there exists another artist whose success and popularity, however limited, would not have been possible without viral Internet marketing. Internet bloggers began building buzz around indie rock band Voxtrot in early 2006, based on live performances and their well-received debut EP, “Raised By Wolves.” With the release of their second EP, “Mothers, Sisters, Daughters and Wives,” the hype had hit critical mass, and the Austin, Texas-based group was headlining and selling out venues in New York.

Voxtrot’s self-titled first full-length album has been widely anticipated by music critics and the Internet community, and while it does not exceed expectations, it still stands as a sensational pop record by an exciting, promising band.

The band made a bold decision by recording all-new material for the album, foregoing their fan-tested material from previous releases. The tracks found on “Voxtrot” are not radically different from the group’s other work – although the band excels as a guitar band, with tight, jangly hooks and bouncing bass, Voxtrot is also quite competent with their few piano-driven tracks. In either case, the band’s gift for melody is quite possibly its strongest point, and there are as many memorable moments here as in Voxtrot’s back catalogue.

Frontman Ramesh Srivastava’s smooth, innocent voice complements his articulate lyrics perfectly. Any linguaphile is sure to appreciate the dexterity with which Srivastava delivers his prose. His lyrics are at times hilarious, at times self-depreciating, at times pensive, and at times bitter. The honesty and delivery of his lines really add to the energy of the band as a whole.

From the first track, every song shines with obvious polish, showcasing the bands’ hard work in the studio following the extensive touring of the past year. “Kid Gloves,” with its subtle marimba and background vocals collaborating to the overall texture, demands your attention, as does “Firecracker,” alternating between jarring, staccato sequences and soaring, string-led passages.

There’s a theme of the loss of identity in the context or relationships, most evidenced in “Real Live Version,” in which Srivastava pines for a real-life version of himself and his lover, and “Steven,” in which Srivastava claims “Maybe I want to be myself / But I am somebody else.”

“Voxtrot” is a perfect example of energetic yet literate indie rock and a band in its prime of creativity and song writing.

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