Search - Vigilantes of Love :: Blister Soul

A Battered Spirit Running Throughout The Songs

Joseph McCarthy | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania United States | 03/20/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Blister Soul" the fifth Vigilnates Of Love album has a very hard guitar edge not found on any previous releases. The heavy crunch of the electric guitars on "5 Miles Outside Of Monroe" could not be classified as Metal, but it's obvious, with this cd, the band had shed their folk-rock persona. Even "Real Down Town," has a slightly stronger backbone to it then when it was originally released on "Killing Floor." Of course, that may have more to do with John Keane's production work than a change in the style of the band's music, but one listen to cuts like "Unsucessful" or "Bethlehem Steel" is evidence enough to indicate that the Vigilantes have entered a new phase of their musical journey. There's even a lot of electricity running through the strings of the quieter acoustic cuts. Unlike his pictures inside the cd cover, touring for this album finds lead singer, Bill Mallonee, sporting long, blonde hair (dyed?) and wearing a leather jacket. With only two other bandmates along for this concert ride, the live sound they produced with just guitar, bass, and drums was even louder and harder than on the cd. (But who are those other guys photographed with Bill for the cd liner and posters? Photo-session models?)Speaking of cd liners, I find this cover to be the coolest of the five realeases up to that point (1995). Especially the back cover with the guy (in anguish?) looking skyward, holding his shirt wide open to reveal the words "blister soul," in black letters, scrawled like graffiti across the tan skin of his bare chest. The red blotch above his thin choker necklace implys to the imagination a hint of blood. The photographer added to the creative effect by obscuring most of the persons face off the edge of the cover.Apparently someone believed that "Real Down Town" was hit material. Not only was it recorded on 1992's "Killing Floor," and 95's "Blister Soul," they also realeased it alone on a single, and on a four song promotional EP called "Blister." Then later included it on the VOL compilation cd (best of). But wait, it dosen't stop there, once again it is being promoted on "VOL Rare Singles Pack (5 Discs)" available through Paste Magazine at Pastemusic.com for thirteen bucks (Only five songs, one per disc. They're the original singles from the Capricorn vault.)I advise you to buy the cd "Blister Soul" and crank up the song "Blister Soul." It's a great song and deserves its position as the first track. But before you do, program the last track, "Blister Soul (reprise)" to play second. Its a fantastic acoustic cut, and except for the over-all emotional appeal and the one chorus line, its a completely different song. These two songs, one electric, one acoustic could be symbolically representative of the entire VOL sound from 1990 to 2000. One of the other stand-out tunes is "Skin." Its got a mellow melody and contains classic Mallonee lyrics. After all, ts all in the words and the music, two things that this band have always been professionals at."