Shriek of the Week, Vol. 4
Today, I shriek, you shriek, we all shriek for Virginia Coalition. They're a very hard to describe, yet much loved northern Virginia band. I first heard them senior year at W&L, when they played Buffalo Creek and sold their $5 CDs out of the back of a van. And I can't seem to escape them, while I was living in NJ I found out they were one of the first acts signed to the label of a friend of a friend. Nutty. Now that I'm back in DC, I get to read about them making the WaPo's best of the best list, and even better, next month I get to see the show where they'll be making their very first live DVD and concert. As they say on "A Song" from Townburg, VACO "when we come to your town, it's not for the girls or the wine, you see, it's 'cause we came to get down." The live shows are the best. "They all got down at the VACO show" indeed!
They're part jam band with a touch of go-go and funk and country and generally a kaleidoscope of musical goodness. My favorite tracks have always been those featuring Andy (who's had many last names over the course of their band-hood, Poliakoff on Colors of the Sound, Thunder on Townburg, Wonder on Rock & Roll Party, and back to Poliakoff on OK to Go) and his throaty growl. They seem to have more of a folky feel on these tracks, definitely check him out on "This is Him (Hurricane Song)" from R&RP and "Green and Grey" from Townburg. His former co-singer, Steve, has since left the band, and they've recovered remarkably. They still have a loyal following and a whole slew of catchy songs in their arsenal. My most recent favorite is "Bumpin' Fresh" about being a dork in a new school in 7th grade, taking serious abuse for uncool clothes (a feeling I can mostly relate to, I may be super-cool now but I was a GIGANTIC nerd back in the day) featuring the best refrain ever, despite whatever shit the cool kids threw at them, "That's OK it was pizza day."
If I were stranded on a deserted island with only VACO CDs, I probably wouldn't have much reason to complain, I could dance on the beach to a song to fit whatever mood I happened to be in, and maybe turn coconuts into makeshift band members.
They're part jam band with a touch of go-go and funk and country and generally a kaleidoscope of musical goodness. My favorite tracks have always been those featuring Andy (who's had many last names over the course of their band-hood, Poliakoff on Colors of the Sound, Thunder on Townburg, Wonder on Rock & Roll Party, and back to Poliakoff on OK to Go) and his throaty growl. They seem to have more of a folky feel on these tracks, definitely check him out on "This is Him (Hurricane Song)" from R&RP and "Green and Grey" from Townburg. His former co-singer, Steve, has since left the band, and they've recovered remarkably. They still have a loyal following and a whole slew of catchy songs in their arsenal. My most recent favorite is "Bumpin' Fresh" about being a dork in a new school in 7th grade, taking serious abuse for uncool clothes (a feeling I can mostly relate to, I may be super-cool now but I was a GIGANTIC nerd back in the day) featuring the best refrain ever, despite whatever shit the cool kids threw at them, "That's OK it was pizza day."
If I were stranded on a deserted island with only VACO CDs, I probably wouldn't have much reason to complain, I could dance on the beach to a song to fit whatever mood I happened to be in, and maybe turn coconuts into makeshift band members.
posted by lunchbox at 9:23 PM
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