Unknown Affairs. The Vices

The Vices from Groningen released its new album this week. With Looking For Faces, the band got a good reception on this blog in 2021 There was a small aside mentioning that the band covered a lot of genres, leaving the question who or what The Vices wanted to be. Has this question been answered over the past two years?

No, not really. The Vices still covers a lot of ground. What has not changed, is the sure-fire certainty with which it finds the golden notes in each song. This band has a golden pop quality. Whether playing rock, indie rock, more pop oriented and anything in between songs, always, at a minimum, there's a hint of gold dust and most of the time the real thing. To think that the band only started in 2019. Already it has two albums to its name, with that "difficult" second nowhere in sight.

In Floris van Luijtelaar the band has a lead singer and songwriter who is on a roll. He is able to write great songs and has several voices to match the genres, making it interesting to listen to him as a singer. The band behind him matches him with ease. Jonathan Kruizenga (organ/guitar), Simon Bleeker (bass) and Mathijs Louwsma (drums) lay down a great sound together, managing all the changes, surprises and genres.

Taking in Unknown Affairs slowly but surely, I get the impression that it is more consistent than its predecessor. If you think an average The Beatles album is consistent that is. No, I do not call Unknown Affairs that good. Fact is, The Vices are at least as ambitious as the Fab 4 were. Take 'Fooled Again'. Strings, an acoustic guitar, a band that is not directly within earshot. Already The Vices do not restrain themselves to the band format. A song gets what it needs. So, yes, there is a Beatlesesque element to The Vices' new album in more than one sense.

Promo photo

In general the clock strikes rock though. Things start with a drum beat over which alternative rock licks and chords are played. It's the rhythms where the playfulness of the band comes through. 'I Had A Name' is not your average rock song, despite the two lead guitar parts rock out, there is a hint towards ska as well. It results in a hybrid song that works, just like some of the better songs from the Madchester time did. With 'For My Mind' the band goes the extra mile. It now has a huge rock anthem to its name as well, dreamy and direct. With 'Tomorrow I'll Be' there's the ballad and finally surf is added to the repertoire as well. The many faces of The Vices? Stop looking, mission completed.

Unknown Affairs is the ideal step any band would love to make in its career. The Vices already had a nice debut album to its name. It has a good second album out this week that may grow to be great. It's to early to tell but it is on its way is my guess today. Impressive progression, this sums it up.

Wout de Natris

You can listen to and order Unknown Affairs here:

https://thevicesofficial.bandcamp.com/album/unknown-affairs