Violent Psalms: Slow To Speak [Album]

Surprise, surprise good TWS readers!  I am awe-struck by yet ANOTHER wonderful indie rock band from, you guessed it, the great city of Portland, Oregon.  Seriously, John Oliver can say whatever he wants, but Portland is and will hopefully always be known as the hub of some of the finest indie rock in the planet.  And it simply doesn’t get much better than Violent Psalms.  This new founded act fronted by long time Portland based musician Ezekiel J. Rudick is yet another prime example of the beauty that comes from the city of fugitives and refugees.  And in a perfectly meticulous fashion, these smooth cats (even though their band name sounds metal as fuck, just saying) have released a brilliant 7-track album, Slow To Speak, for their fine listeners to take their brilliant sound into their own homes and away from the awe-inspiring live shows that have been creating quite a buzz throughout the City of Roses.

And in yet another perfect Portland fashion, Violent Psalms is yet another wonderful act that surrounds themselves with great friends who are just as immaculately talented.  The play often with fellow break out bands like Dedere and Grandhorse (both of which have been featured here at TWS), even having Dedere frontman Jared Brannan provide vocals all over Slow To Speak.  It is bands like these fine folks that make continue to make it even worth listening to music any more.  And Violent Psalms still manage to individualize themselves with a sound that is reminiscent of the happy-go-sad moments of the 90’s, when it was cool to be talented.  While it is not nice to compare a band, I can’t help but feel the tingly sensation that Dinosaur Jr. used to give when a song like “Sleeping Pills” kicks off and lives my attention directed only on the beautiful words and almost jazz like alternative guitar work that is nothing short of a brilliant signature for Violent Psalms.

Violent Psalms is without a doubt one of my favorite bands to emerge this year, and a group that I truly hope sticks it out and continues to create their own brilliant art together for years to come.  Slow To Speak will easily be one of those albums that will always be a “go to” album when you really can’t figure out what to listen to in those late night/early morning hours when you aren’t feeling to eclectic, but not entirely disturbed.  Or maybe when just for cleaning your apartment.  Or you know, whenever the hell ever.  That’s right folks, Violent Psalms is an amazing new band that desires, and definitely deserves your god damn attention.  And you should definitely feel fortunate enough to give that to them.

Slow To Speak will be released on May 16th, 2014.  And as we mentioned, this is a band with some great friends.  And on May 16th, the Violent Psalms Album Release Show will be happening at the Alhambra Theatre in Portland Oregon, featuring Dedere, Grandhorse, and the Seattle based indie rockers Western Haunts.  I suggest you get yourself there.