Northplatte Records, the label of local favorites such as RuRu, Desert Noises, and Joshua James, recently signed another band: The Vibrant Sound. Their fresh and catchy tunes will have the audience dancing at the Velour during their CD release party on June 27 at 8:00 p.m. They will be joined by Marlee and Hayley Hernandez as well as RuRu.
The Vibrant Sound’s style, while self-described as a blend of indie, hip hop and neo-soul, is actually very hard to pinpoint. Their debut CD, Downtown, is a laid-back mesh of genres. Words like, jazz, reggae, rap, Spanish, ska, urban and chill all come to mind. Their subject matter alternates between reminiscence of the eighties, ghetto living, being the ideal boyfriend and, of all things for a bunch of white guys to sing about, black history.
Overall, it seems like The Vibrant Sound is trying very hard. The music has a feel-good vibe, but the lyrics are sometimes outlandish. For instance, consider this gem: “Remember when your mom was mistaken for escapin’ the zoo, ’cause she was harrier than baboons and scarier, too.” While their intentions seem genuine, it’s hard to take them seriously because their work feels scattered and compromised. It is, however, vibrant in its own way and has a sound that may appeal well appeal to other listeners. A selection of their unique tunes can be found at www.myspace.com/thevibrantsound.
What: The Vibrant Sound CD Release
When: Friday, June 27 at 8:30 p.m. (Doors open at 8:00)
Where: Velour Live Music Gallery, 135 North University Ave., Provo
Price: $7.00
Tickets: Purchased at the door
