Ambulance for Angeles: Viper Creek Club EP

The Indie Review

By Sean Duregger
March 14, 2008

Artist: Ambulance for Angeles
Album: Viper Creek Club EP
Label: Unsigned
Rating:

Ambulance for Angeles is on the brink of something special with the release of their EP Viper Creek Club. An EP full of ambient instrumentation and a very much indie vibe, there is some definite potential here. Some of the potential is overshadowed by a some imperfections that keep Viper Creek Club from being great. But these are things that can be developed and improved on as Ambulance for Angeless grows as a band.

Let’s start with the glaring positives. Ambulance for Angeles have a unique and infectious sound. I love the use of ambiance and piano in the songs. There is a dreamlike quality to the songs and most of the songs are very memorable. Songs like, The Aquarium, When We Were Showgirls, and My Embroidered Tusks are the high points of this release. Each with it’s own unique and memorable elements. I think these songs showcase the best elements of Ambulance for Angeles, with the other 2 songs being a little forgettable.

With so many positive elements, however, I did have one gripe. I just couldn’t get past Mathew Wisner’s lack of pronunciation on each song. I had to strain just to understand what was being said and that took a little bit of magic from the songs. I’m not saying that the vocals have to be perfect. In fact, some of my favorite artists (Elliot Smith, Paul Westerberg, Bob Dylan) are known for not being perfect vocalists. But, in this instance, even though Mathew’s vocal quality is unique and definitely powerful, the lack of understanding the words to these songs was distracting. Maybe I’m getting too old, I don’t know.

Ambulance for Angeles is a band that has massive potential. With my small gripes aside, Viper Creek Club is an EP worth checking out. Hopefully they continue to grow as a band and develop their sound a little bit more. They’re a band you want to keep tabs on.

Stand Out Tracks:

“The Aquarium”

“When We Were Showgirls”

“My Embroidered Tusks”