There is a deranged mind at work here. The cover shot of Vinny Miller tarred and feathered on the front cover should have been a hint but even that doesn’t completely prepare you for what’s inside. All reference points are meaningless; there are no easy comparisons.
Urban legend has it that Vinny was signed to 4AD for nearly five years before even submitting any music. It is testament to 4AD’s patience and vision that when he submitted ‘On the Block’ they didn’t run to the hills screaming. First song ‘The Yes / No Game’ isn’t actually a song but rather a telephone conversation between an inaudible Vinny and a pirate radio DJ. ‘Breaking Out of Your Arms’, the most straight forward song on the album is a tender, delicate acoustic number. The vocals are croaky and on the edge of breaking giving it an other worldly, ethereal feel. Beautiful.
That is as normal as things get. Former single ‘Pigpen’ begins with low key mumbled vocals and electronic throbbing before leaping into a cacophony of guitars, drums and (I think) didgeridoo. Distorted voices growl and scream over the top. ‘Cromagno’ is 35 seconds of vocal tics and weirdness. ‘Bogeyeater’ enlarges on these strange vocal styles and links them up with scary disjointed beats. Whilst ‘Hogbreath Busts a Move’ employs electric guitar with distorted vocals and, what can only be described as, a bastardisation of human beat box. All in all you wouldn’t want to meet the demons in Vinny Millers head.
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On ‘Afternoon Nod’, piano chords lead into an atmospheric ambient soundscape and make for one of the highlights of the album. ’Alioth’ is slight and acoustic and closer ‘On the Block’ is a funeral paced lament that finishes things off with style.
‘On the Block’ is a difficult record. It’s not going to slot into any easy genre label or convenient pigeonhole. The contrast from the gentle acoustic numbers to the mad, screaming thrash outs will have you constantly reaching for the volume control, turning up the acoustic songs to bathe in their far out delights before having you ears assaulted by one of his more primal moments. In places it is superb, in others almost over bearing as if the sounds are about to suffocate you. W&H missed out on the Vinny Miller live experience recently due to a fire in the venue not long before he was due to appear. Rest assured after hearing this we will endeavour to catch up with him soon.
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