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While the likes of Royal Blood sit back and lap up all the plaudits from people unable to comprehend that “only two guys make that sound?”, The Alligator Wine smile and simply say; “Hold my pint”. Can’t get your head around the fact that Royal Blood can make that sound, then the duo of Rob Vitacca and Thomas Teufel from the Black Forest in Germany will blow your mind! Not only do they make Royal Blood sound tiny (and over-hyped) in comparison, they do it all without using guitars.
A rock band? Without guitars? Inconceivable! But yes, The Alligator Wine do indeed make that beautiful noise without using any guitars. Distortion, and bass? Check and check, but not from the usual sources though. Distortion comes via the organ sound from Vitacca, bass also from Vitacca, but this time through an analogue synth.
‘Demons Of The Mind’ is made up of a mixture of brand new material and two tracks from 2019’s ‘The Flying Carousel’ EP (namely, the title track and ‘Dream Eyed Little Girl’). It’s one of those rare albums that grabs you from the off and instantly reels you in. It’s also as varied an album as you are as likely to hear this year, and at times, you are left wondering what’s up next.
The chaos ensues the second that vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Rob Vitacca delivers a scream of “Shotgun” on the opening track of the same name. Thomas Teufel crashes in from behind his kit and lays down some bodacious sounds (cowbell, anyone?) while Vitacca unleashes hell from behind a bank of keys. A very strong hint of a Queens Of The Stone Age influence on this one, and when the pair lock into one hell of a groove, it is pretty damn irresistible. But then the pair veer off in the completely opposite direction for the ‘80’s electronica-tinted strains of ‘Crocodile Inn’. The warm, fuzzy distortion from Vitacca towards the climax of the song is simply mind-blowing. Another change in direction appears in the shape of ’Voodoo’, a super-catchy slice of ‘70’s nostalgia powered by the pulsating drum work of Teufel. As is the hypnotic ‘10 Million Slaves’, a six-minute epic that includes a monstrous jam mid-song, complete with bongos and an uplifting chorus from Vitacca. No way is this one getting reproduced, cookie-cutter style, night after night once gigs are a thing again.
The mirror-ball is switched on for the disco strains of ‘The Flying Carousel’, while ‘Lorane’ burrows deep into the psyche with it’s dark, brooding vibes. The longest track on the album, it’s one of the many that fills the room and gets larger with each play. The Depeche Mode-esque ‘Dream Eyed Little Girl’ keeps the mood dark, and yet again the drum sound that Teufel produces is worthy of a special mention, as are the synths from Vitacca. Current single ‘Mamae’ is totally gonzo! There’s no point in trying to work it out, just go with the flow and bust a move like no-one is watching. Count it as an extra period of exercise during lockdown. The towering ‘Sweetheart On Fire’ ends this incredible album, and you’ll swear that you can hear a guitar or two in there, but no, it’s the work of Rob Vitacca tricking you.
A rock album without guitars might sound far-fetched, but it works, and in doing so, The Alligator Wine have made perhaps the freshest album of the year so far, and one of the strongest debuts for some time.
Available April 24th on Century Media.
Review – Dave
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