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Thursday, August 14, 2008

CD Review: Vertigo Nation - Emigate


Vertigo Nation – Emigrate
2008, Vertigo Nation


Vertigo Nation is sort of a hybrid rock/techno band, ala Garbage. Lead Vocalist Wickey should not be mistaken for a Shirley Manson clone, however. Her voice is both stronger and more expressive than Manson's, and is one of the high points of Emigrate. Emigrate starts with It's Your Life, a song that opens in energetic fashion but loses steam part way through. You Can't Get Me continues the energy drain. Sign reinvigorates briefly, but the general trend here is that the cross of techno with rock saps the music of some of its inherent energy. The songs on Emigrate really want to rock, but become mired in the synths and programmed beats.

While I am all for breaking down boundaries between genres in the name of creativity, losing the vibrant energy involved in the creation process does little for the listeners. There is real talent and potential here, and I would guess that the energy is there should you see Vertigo Nation in a live environment, but it just does not translate to CD. Emigrate is a collection of what almost was, with flashes of what could be thrown in for good measure. This is a band, however to watch for the future.

Rating: 2 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Vertigo Nation at www.myspace.com/vertigonation. You can download Emigrate from iTunes. I couldn't find a link anywhere online to purchase a hard copy CD, but if you contact the band through their MySpace page I'm sure they'll be happy to help you out.

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