While not the most prolific in output or shows, Orlando’s Vicious Dreams have been one of the more notable punk bands to emerge in recent years.
The power trio of Amanda Little (guitar/vocals), James Moudy (bass/vocals) and Andrew Cabbage (drums) have carved a nice pocket for themselves in the city’s punk scene with an aesthetic that punches with sharpness, efficiency and distinction.
On the map of punk rock, Vicious Dreams take a line that cherry-picks some of the genre’s best virtues and rolls them up into smart bombs that last just long enough to hit their targets and leave a burn mark. Powered by high-voltage guitars and upfront melodicism, their charged, upbeat sound is maximum bop and bash. But Vicious Dreams are melodic in a way that’s more evocative of black-leather 1970s power-pop than 1980s West Coast pop-punk. Yeah, much cooler.
To that sweet point, Vicious Dreams’ about-to-drop sophomore album is, notably, an even more melodic turn for the band. Dropping on Friday, Aug. 9, the nine-song Turn Off My Brain (a title conveniently and cleverly acronymized by the track “TOMB”) lacquers their hotrod guitars with lustrous hooks that are even bigger and better. The net effect hits that timeless bull’s eye between sweet and tough.
As the title suggests, Turn Off My Brain gets into the fray of dealing with anxiety and ADHD in a time when reality itself is so surreal, a condition that seems pretty universal at this point. Regardless, Vicious Dreams manage to sugar the much-needed pill with their best songs to date.
Four years after their debut album, Vicious Dreams aren’t just back but markedly better, justifying the wait with a high-impact collection of punk that hasn’t lost its rock & roll. Turn Off My Brain is a tight package of hit-and-fun smashes that punch all the right buttons.
The album is digitally everywhere on Friday, Aug. 9 — and it will be available on colored vinyl on Bandcamp. Better yet, score a copy in person at Vicious Dreams’ big release show that very evening when they’ll perform with Debt Neglector, Gavl and Tiger Beat.
8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9, Will’s Pub, $8-$10.
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The power trio of Amanda Little (guitar/vocals), James Moudy (bass/vocals) and Andrew Cabbage (drums) have carved a nice pocket for themselves in the city’s punk scene with an aesthetic that punches with sharpness, efficiency and distinction.
On the map of punk rock, Vicious Dreams take a line that cherry-picks some of the genre’s best virtues and rolls them up into smart bombs that last just long enough to hit their targets and leave a burn mark. Powered by high-voltage guitars and upfront melodicism, their charged, upbeat sound is maximum bop and bash. But Vicious Dreams are melodic in a way that’s more evocative of black-leather 1970s power-pop than 1980s West Coast pop-punk. Yeah, much cooler.
To that sweet point, Vicious Dreams’ about-to-drop sophomore album is, notably, an even more melodic turn for the band. Dropping on Friday, Aug. 9, the nine-song Turn Off My Brain (a title conveniently and cleverly acronymized by the track “TOMB”) lacquers their hotrod guitars with lustrous hooks that are even bigger and better. The net effect hits that timeless bull’s eye between sweet and tough.
As the title suggests, Turn Off My Brain gets into the fray of dealing with anxiety and ADHD in a time when reality itself is so surreal, a condition that seems pretty universal at this point. Regardless, Vicious Dreams manage to sugar the much-needed pill with their best songs to date.
Four years after their debut album, Vicious Dreams aren’t just back but markedly better, justifying the wait with a high-impact collection of punk that hasn’t lost its rock & roll. Turn Off My Brain is a tight package of hit-and-fun smashes that punch all the right buttons.
The album is digitally everywhere on Friday, Aug. 9 — and it will be available on colored vinyl on Bandcamp. Better yet, score a copy in person at Vicious Dreams’ big release show that very evening when they’ll perform with Debt Neglector, Gavl and Tiger Beat.
8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9, Will’s Pub, $8-$10.
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