Every now and again an avid enjoyer of all things music is treated to the unique experience of discovering greatness at the ground floor, and given the chance to watch a band blow up in real time out of a moment that you feel in your guts is the genesis of a phenomenon. The April 19th release of Answer Slow, the latest offering from Arizona-based indie rock darlings Vinyl Station, was one of those moments. This immaculate collection of tunes sounds right at home amidst the pantheon of indie-rock royalty, mixing the best of U2/Coldplay-style stadium rock with the more intimate sensibilities of an act like Band of Horses into an enthralling blend that’s all Vinyl Station’s own.
Answer Slow packs a whole world of Vinyl Station’s creation into its six tracks, and in under half an hour runs the broad dynamic spectrum of an album proper. “Here Comes Your Ghost” is a high-flying, hooky ear-worm, and “Why Do You Wait” is an odyssey from muted to mighty. While “The End of the World” returns to more buoyant spaces, “Nothing Yet” begins with the band’s most tender evocations yet before erupting into an absolute anthem of a chorus. The emotionally charged “Revolution” affects a more meditative posture before “That Man” brings the collection to its upbeat, chant-worthy finale.
While Vinyl Station has already established something of a presence in the indie rock scene with their relentless touring schedule (including support credits for the likes of Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20), Answer Slow is a definitive statement on the band’s brilliance in their own right. It’s a sublime anthology of indie rock par excellence that deserves the ears of the masses, and I have a feeling that the masses, once informed, will agree.