San Francisco power trio The Vrbs coalesced, as many bands do, out of other musical projects. Former members of Audiobender bassist Paul Cingolani and vocalist/guitarist Jared Richard teamed with former Weapon Eleven drummer Jeff Ham. They adopted a mandate to write and record contemporary rock crossed with power pop/pop-grunge influences polished with a studied sheen recalling the 1990s. They’ve worked hard refining and extended that creative impulse since forming in 2019 and their self-titled release reflects the results of those efforts and their combined talents.
They are starting off the band’s history on a distinctly prolific note. Their self-titled double album debut begins with the surging, rough and ready “Take Me Home”. Power pop, pop grunge, whatever you label their music, there’s a rambunctious punk spirit that inhabits songs such as this. They never abandon melody, however, and their instrumental skills are unquestionable. Richard’s guitar work cuts like a jagged knife throughout much of the number, but there are hints of him being capable of more.
Drummer Jeff Ham kicks off “New Drug” with thunderous straight-ahead drumming and the punk fire burns even brighter. The track runs a bit long given the style of music they’re pushing, but The Vrbs maintain the song’s high-octane energy through to its conclusion. It never ebbs. Richard’s guitar playing already has our notice, but his vocals are equally well-suited for the band’s music. “Paper Claims” has the band somewhat changing direction. They move seamlessly into churning hard rock territory with this performance and Richard’s heavy riffs exert a pulverizing effect on listeners. He varies his vocal delivery, as well, with remarkable ease.
The galvanizing power-pop of “Well I Do” returns us to familiar territory. The Vrbs aren’t remaking the songwriting wheel with their songs, but their chemistry flames with white-hot intensity and they prove themselves especially adept at pouring old wine into new bottles. Ham and Cingolani lay down an inexorable groove for “Scream for Me” that condenses the energy of the three-piece format into a sleek, stylish, and muscular mid-tempo jaunt. It’s one of the highlights of the first half of this release.
“Hog” is an early peak moment on the second half of the release. There’s a moody intensity propelling this performance and Richard’s phased guitar streaks over top of the rhythm section with cutting quicksilver flash. “Blow It Up” is arguably the most aggressive moment on the self-titled release and the careening attack they unleash on the audience promises to be a setlist mainstay for the band’s live performances. The vocals are abrasive, yet nevertheless impressive. Richard once again proves he has a near-perfect and remarkably elastic voice for the band’s material.
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The finale “Down the Mountain” is one of a few surprises The Vrbs hit us with. Clocking in at nearly nine minutes in length, it shows a band skilled enough to sustain the listener’s interest over a long duration. Self-indulgence is absent from the song. Working on a larger canvas doesn’t alter the band’s aesthetic much, but the increased focus on dynamics, and alternating passages of light and shadow, prove to be a compelling final curtain for this opus. The Vrbs announce themselves in a big way with this collection and show they are a force to be reckoned with for years to come.
Garth Thomas