Volk — Cashville
The rock and roll duo isn’t necessarily a novelty. Even if it’s not something you encounter regularly, duos from Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper to The White Stripes have left their mark on rock and roll. Volk is a duo that is kind of the opposite of The White Stripes. Eleot Reich plays drums and provides the lead vocals while Chris Lowe plays guitar and provides supporting vocals.
Cashville is the band’s first full-length album, and it is a master class in what rock and roll can be even with limited participants. Beyond that, it is a testament to every cynical writer who has declared that rock and roll is dead. Spoiler alert: rock isn’t dead. Just listen to this album and you’ll recognize the error of your ways.
You don’t have do listen to this album for very long before you come up with a good comparison for this band. VOLK has the same energy, and a similar sound to X, especially in the harmony vocals.
The more you listen to this album, the harder it is to believe that it’s just a duo. Other energetic and rocking duos have come before this band, but the truth is that this sounds like much more than a duo. For example, the opening track has a vibe similar to what would happen if X and Nashville P***y collaborated for a kick-ass single.
“Little Games” is an interesting tune. The guitar tone is similar to Dwight Yoakam while the beat is pure punk. The result is a song that would be just as fitting in a dark honky-tonk as a punk club where patrons are slamming into each other.
For a duo, this band mixes things up pretty well. “I Fed Animals” has the sound of some of the best riot grrrl acts of the 90s. “Atlanta Dog” has the sort of garage-blues feel that you would expect from a Voodoo Rhythm release. “Revelator S Bottleneck” has even more of a blues feel. The beginning of the song is akin to a slow John Lee Hooker boogie. What’s unusual about this song is that for a blues tune, it is propelled more by the beat than the guitar.
This is an album that appeals to a broad base of fans. It is cowpunk in the truest sense. It’s country enough to inspire some two-stepping, but it’s punk enough to inspire you to join a circle pit when you listen. Cashville (Romanus Records) will be available everywhere on May 28. Order your copy here. https://livevolk.bandcamp.com/