Formed in Austin, Texas in 2017, Very Busy People are, at this stage, old hands. Their new EP – Impressions – is a veritable feast of musical ambition and experience and ticks many, many boxes.
Part Pavement, part Geese, part Broken Social Scene, the opening track “Ordinary Night” shifts and slithers over the course of its almost four and a half minutes. Veering between arty and anthemic, but never really fully committing to either, it walks the line with intriguing, wonky poise. The combination of sounds feels almost overwhelming at times. What sounds like a saxophone meanders in and out as the tones and textures blend and beguile. By the time the song ends the sounds are scaled back and the guitars are reduced down to a simmer.
“Impression, Sunrise” has a varied, shuffling, almost world music feel to it. A bit like the Vampire Weekend side project The Very Best, it’s indie at its core but with much more going on. It shifts styles quite significantly – and rather suddenly – between moments of jovial light and sudden darkness. There are also occasional moments that remind us of 80s stalwarts like The Cure or The Smiths, particularly the relationship between the drums and the guitar. The imagination involved to make this song work is certainly impressive.
“Oxygen” feels folky as it begins. With its jaunty lead piano, shimmering guitar, and head-nodding bass, it feels like the most conventional songwriting thus far; that is, until about half way through, when after a woozy chorus, it takes a bit of a left turn. The slacker vibes form the first song are back, but they’re drenched in psychedelic style. Super Fury Animals-esque in its kaleidoscopic scope and Pond-like in its impact, the laidback vibe is filtered through a hazy, fervent noise which feels a bit like a contradiction (or, we suppose, a juxtaposition.) Towards the end of the song, we hear what sounds a lot like a vocoder effect on a guitar, and whilst we will admit that the band are by no means the first to employ such techniques, it’s certainly not something you encounter very often these days.
Up next is “Don’t Blink, Thy Pyramids”. Featuring fellow Austin producer, saxophonist, and singer-songwriter Midnight Navy, there’s a warmth to this one that hasn’t been there so far on the EP. The combination of organ and slide guitar (or pedal steel perhaps?) makes for some gloriously syrupy, incredibly luscious sounds. With a catchy modern vibe that is obviously simultaneously indebted to the past, it seems to sound how Father John Misty or Fleet Foxes might, if they were only a bit jollier.
The EP’s closer “Surf Now!” is rather sunny and easy-going sounding. Reminiscent of early Drums, there is a distinct surfy vibe to the overall tone (which you might expect, given the title), but also an almost swampy feel to it at times. With spidery guitar lines and skittish drums throughout, it shuffles along with an almost angular – but still poppy – feel.
The EP is a unmitigated success; full of contradiction, ambition and imagination, the band should be very proud. Here’s to nine more years!
Take a listen to Impressions below:
Written by Kinda Grizzly
