Musical duo Armed With Legs pack a lot of sound in their debut EP “My Gun is Faster Than God’s,” especially considering most rock outfits are armed with upwards of six or so arms and legs.
Jim Vermillion takes the reins vocally and creates continuously diverse and interesting sounds on his lone bass guitar, while Nick Krivchenia pounds out an eclectic mix of beats, bangs and ticks on the drums.
The four-song compilation is just over 25 minutes in length, but the shoegazing inspired style of the music creates a mesmerizing listening experience beyond conventional song structure, which makes the EP seem much longer - but in a good way.
The Seattle-based band cites some of its influences as greats from the early-to-mid 1990s: Sonic Youth, Fugazi and Portishead, in which much of their sound is deeply rooted. Throw in some Radiohead, ?uestlove, and the soft vocal styling of Ben Gibbard and you get the interesting, unique and yet familiar sound of Armed With Legs.
Opening with title track “My Gun Is Faster Than God’s” sets the tone for the cynical, dark and reclusive feel for the CD.
Starting out with offbeat chimes that loop throughout the song, the track jumps immediately into Vermillion’s clear, soft vocals and Krivchenia’s erratic drum lines. A feeling of uneasy restlessness is developed by the artists’ offbeat experimentation as the CD ebbs and flows from thick, gritty stanzas to calmer, quieter moments.
In the center of the EP, second and third tracks “If You Say So” and “That Photograph” are what the band hails as their “must listen to tracks,” and the songs stand up to the creators’ acclaim.
In “If You Say So” the repetitive chiming keeps up as Vermillion and Krivchenia create soft vocal harmonies and Vermillion lays down a thick, funky bass track that commands the direction of the song.
The bass solo imitates a menacing shred on an electric guitar and Krivchenia’s snare takes on a classic military-infused sound.
The chorus of “That Photograph” is yearning, sad and soulful, and is one of the few times on the EP where Vermillion’s vocals take the lead, rather than acting as a strong complement to the duo’s musical construction. The string and drum breakdown following the second chorus would make Fugazi proud and is one of the standout points on the CD - with Vermillion and Krivchenia both cutting loose in an intense and excited frenzy of sound.
Quickly though, the CD seamlessly turns back to the ultra-mellow, soft, haunting repetition the band has created as the musical basis for their EP with their closing song “LubriCunt.” Serving as one of the heaviest points of the CD, the distortion-laden conclusion confirms that Armed With Legs is a strong force to be reckoned with.
See Armed With Legs live at 9 p.m. Aug. 4 at the Comet Tavern in Seattle. Find out more about the band at www.myspace.com/armedwithlegsband.
