In 2006, Vic was working on a new album for New West. The album had the tentative title "Vibratile Nerves" and was an interesting album chocked full of keyboard samples, orchestral arrangements, 'Garage Band' compositions, and crazy titles like "Horny as Hell", "Uh!", and "This Is How We Dance, Ya'll." It would have been a cutting edge release in Vic's catalog. Unfortunately, Vic was dropped by New West, and the album became shelved. Fortunately, I was sent a copy of the album before it's shelving.I listen to this album often. Apart from the experimental, home recordings there are a few gorgeous instrumentals, that would be best suited as soundtrack material, rather than filler. I wish that Vic would have had the chance to do something with this album. He had mentioned to me once about making a vinyl only release of some of the tracks. That would have been nice. Hopefully, it will see the light of day, sometime in the future.
"Vibratile Nerves" is a good example of the tone of the album. It's experimental, melodic, and includes some pre-Darkside Floyd keyboards. The voice is altered, distorted and creative. Lyrically, it's very enigmatic and the overall feel is spacey and airy. A far cry from the original acoustic versions that Vic performed live in 2005.
The song did get an 'official' release as a download on the website 'emusic', as well as on a SXSW Music promotional sampler that New West released in 2006. Both of these releases confirmed that the proposed album would in fact be titled "Distortion Pedals." One can only surmise that an official release would have been evident if Vic hadn't been dropped.
The song did get an 'official' release as a download on the website 'emusic', as well as on a SXSW Music promotional sampler that New West released in 2006. Both of these releases confirmed that the proposed album would in fact be titled "Distortion Pedals." One can only surmise that an official release would have been evident if Vic hadn't been dropped.
Here's the album version:
And the live version:
VIBRATILE NERVES
While the evil influenzia wiped my people out
Not to emerge until Europe was on the verge of
Positively purging its memory of the Kaiser
Tulips pushing through black moist earth
Students riding bicycles...their faces marked by verve
Cows stepping through shadows of durigables
I had learned to steady my vibratile nerves
The years roll like a velvet millstone
That grinds us... but is still somehow sexy
And I have watched them through the careless keyholes
And their chockablock larders
Glutony loves company
One can only hope that some of his unreleased work will get official release. Thanks for posting this one. I look forward to these posts. I finally broke down and got a new copy of Drunk, for the extra tracks. (To go with the first cd and an ancient cassette).
ReplyDeleteDid I tell you I ordered in some of Vic's cds to carry in my dept.? I felt it was only right.
ReplyDeletethank you. - c.d. wright
ReplyDeleteyou are extraordinarily lucky to have a copy of this album. i find myself jealous in this annoying elementary school kind of way, like he must've liked you better, or something ridiculous like that.
ReplyDeletethank you very much for this blog.
ReplyDeleteall the best
sam
I have both versions of this on my mp3 player in a 'Vic mix,' and I keep replaying them. I really love this. I think the 'cows stepping through shadows of dirgibles' is one of my favorite images of any song by anybody, and the music, the vocal effects, are really wonderful.
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to note how often his songs get under my skin and kind of live there. A repeated thanks for posting this.
This is a really cool little tune, and proof that there are probably plenty more surprises in this man's catalog (I've only heard a few albums thus far). I first listened to this through headphones and I loved the way Vic's voice floated around my head. I see this hasn't been updated in a while. I hope it's not gone...
ReplyDelete