VEHICLES

by Jorts McDude
True story: I got drunk and tried to start a fight with Ian McCulloch a few years ago at a SXSW "secret show" because his band Echo and the Bunnymen just wouldn't play "The Cutter" soon enough in their set. Apparently I threw more than one water bottle at his face and taunted him severely before Mrs. McDude dragged me out of there, somehow preventing me from getting an ugly knock on my rap sheet. This is why we can't have nice things, I guess.

What's this have to do with Vehicles? Well, they remind me a lot of Echo and the Bunnymen, and I mean that in the nicest way possible (though in all of music journalism, probably no band has ever been compared negatively to Echo and the Bunnymen). Cody Cloud and company are set to release their third album, This Bluebird Wants Me Dead, Feb. 22 at Lucky's, and it is fantastic.

Hearing a band with a mastery of traditional song structures who manage to keep their sound fresh and interesting, while still fetishizing late-'80s pop sounds is a blast. Opener "Projections" acts as a fine introduction to anyone unfamiliar with Vehicles' work-spacey guitars, a killer chorus, and the best snare drum sound. Other highlights include the very slinky and smoky "Middle Modern," with its grooving bass and tremolo guitar, and the sugarsweet vocal harmonies and space-guitar bridge in "No Taxi."

Songs are mostly upbeat, danceable and super catchy, and band members show a ton of restraint, with emphasis on showcasing great songs over individual talent, though there's plenty of talent to go around in this band. And these songs are great, except the endings: unlike say, Interpol or Echo and the Bunnymen, or I Love You but I've Chosen Darkness, who benefit from enough time in the studio to really benefit from outros and fades, Vehicles' songs just kinda…. stop. It's a small detail, but 11 abrupt endings seem pretty anomalous compared to how thoughtful the rest of the record is.

This Bluebird Wants Me Dead offers up a solid 45 minutes of thoughtful, well-written, well-produced, dark and danceable pop, and its appearance will be a most-welcome addition to your record collection. Oh, and I forgot to mention: When I refer to This Bluebird Wants Me Dead as a record, I mean it. It's a nice, shiny LP with beautiful packaging and as a bonus, it comes with a free digital download. Grab this record

- See more at: http://f5paper.com/albums/%22This%20Bluebird%20Wants%20Me%20Dead%22%20%E2%80%94%20Vehicles#sthash.CfToO6IO.dpuf - F5

by Nathan Cardiff

Vehicles waste no time in getting straight to the rock; the chugging opening track “Projections” is an instant headbanger with dark, crisp vocals. The band specializes in this brand of cold, distant rock ‘n’ roll. The killer bass line at the beginning of “Middle Modern” makes you feel like you’ve been banished to a frozen tundra. The sleek guitar on “Ms. Torture” could cut you apart if you aren’t careful.

Vehicles are obviously talented; smart lyrics, expert instrumentation, and an original sound that both welcomes and pushes back. They save their crescendos for just the right moments. You think you have been invited in to a warm environment and the band sets a trap, exploding full force with a barrage of slamming drums and vicious guitars. With songs like “Smoke” and the haunting closer “Broken Arm,” (the strings are absolutely devastating) Vehicles let you float across the landscape they’ve created.

This Bluebird Wants Me Dead is a triumph of indie bliss and hard rock. They show no fear in isolation.

Favorite Tracks: “Ms. Torture,” “Ghosts,” & “Broken Arm” - I Heart Local Music

On Friday, Vehicles, an alternative rock band hailing from Wichita, Kansas, will perform at The Bridge in downtown Columbia, making it the band’s first time back in Columbia since their last performance at The Blue Note about five years ago.

The Bridge will be one of Vehicles' many stops on their regional tour across the Midwest.

Lead singer Cody Cloud says Vehicles is influenced by bands like U2, Echo and the Bunnymen, Interpol and Mellowdrone.

“I mean, we’re mostly alternative rock,” he says. “But we’re also mixed with psychedelic and Space Jam vibes.”

The band of six years has just recently released its third record, “This Bluebird Wants Me Dead” on a new label with Naughty Dog Enterprises.

One of the main contributors to the album is producer Micajah Ryan, who has worked with artists such as Guns ‘N’ Roses, L.A. Guns and Bob Dylan.

“He recorded and produced our record for us,” Cloud says on Ryan. “J.J. Golden in Ventura, California, mastered it and put it out on vinyl. It was really exciting!”

MOVE recently chatted with Cloud about Vehicles’ new record.

MOVE: How does “This Bluebird Wants Me Dead” compare to your previous music?

Cloud: Our first record had a lot of layers and effects, and people have said our sound has become more lyrically driven with heavier melodies. That wasn’t intentional, I guess, that’s just how it happened.

M: Is there a certain mood or message behind the album you were trying to convey?

C: A lot of the songs are about things that hold us back. Like in my case, my bluebird of happiness is playing music and playing live and sometimes I've allowed drinking and other things to almost take that happiness away from me. It is also an album about finding middle ground and not being so rigid in our own beliefs, like politics, art and music.

Vehicles clearly has a lot of raw talent and a very distinct sound that will draw listeners in and keep them jamming all night long. If you have a free night, a couple of friends and few bucks to spare they are definitely worth checking out. - MOVE Magazine

If you miss that 90′s alternative vibe, we heavily recommend Vehicles.

The area band mostly sticks to that mid-90′s alt sound, but drifts between shoegaze and psych rock. The band doesn’t come to Lawrence too often, but graced the Jazzhaus stage Friday night.

It’s been nearly a year since we saw this band in Lawrence, and it feels like a lot has changed since then. Vehicles is a band that totally has its shit together, musically. The five-piece sports a rich, full tone and has every layer covered. Their musicianship is impeccably executed and easy on the ears. The guitars speak to each other like a lively conversation, while the vocals reach reverb-heavy heights. - I Heart Local Music