Local musicians the Vincents bring a hard indie style to the stage in Columbus.
The Vincents eliminate the bass guitar, with a three member ensemble sporting just two guitars and a drum kit. The resulting sound is a heavy indie metal. The EP is the band’s first foray into recording, giving fans and potential fans five tracks of listening pleasure.
On the whole, the Vincents have a good style. The music is hard and heavy, straight-up rock ‘n’ roll. However, the lack of a bass guitar in the band results in the music being fairly simple and predictable.
The pacing of their self-titled record is fairly straight forward, with the first track, “Freak Out,” foregoing the fast edge of punk rock for a slower, heavier type of sound. The song structure is also nothing experimental, the standard lighter verse breaking into the hard, aggressive chorus. The Vincents work in a venerated style, keeping it simple and loud. The record then moves into “Mainstream,” a faster-paced track. The arrangement of the songs on the album seems incidental, giving it the feel of a demo rather than a finished product.
Among their influences, the band lists Iggy Pop and the Jesus Lizard, two acts that deliver a hard sound and blistering live performances. Both Pop and David Yow, the lead singer of the Jesus Lizard, are famous for on-stage craziness. Pop is known for cutting his own bare chest with broken glass and Yow has a penchant for urinating on audience members. While the Vincents don’t get that out of control, their live performances are highly energized.
The Vincents are Eric Mahoney on vocals and guitar, Jake Twynham on guitar and drummer Matt Wiltse. They have been together since 1999, playing extensively in the local scene here in Columbus and in Dayton.
According to female fans, the trio is apparently one of the best looking bands around. In an online review of a show at the Nite Owl in Dayton a female reviewer requested that the members of the band remove their clothing. The actual phrasing was a bit less eloquent.
On the agenda for the spring, the Vincents are planning a tour of the East Coast and the Midwest.
The Vincents’ self-titled EP is available at Magnolia Thunderpussy, World Record and Used Kids Records.
Overall, the Vincents are a decent group of musicians. While their style is fairly basic and unexciting, the band does it well. Their music is something that would be great live, but an unnecessary purchase.
