Vundabar cut their teeth on an indie psych-rock sound with their debut album Antics in 2013 and further established themselves as alt-rockers with their follow up Gawk in 2015. But Vundabar have never let the confines of genre limit where they were able to take their music. Their 2017 album Smell Smoke took steps towards a softer, more jubilant sound, and their 2020 album Either Light brought the dichotomies the band grapples with to the forefront with bright sounds and complex lyrical content.
Devil for Fire followed up with a slightly more somber tone and subdued sound before Good Old in 2022, which maintained the chilled tone and stripped things down even further with acoustic covers of previously released songs while also returning to form with driving songs such as “Bad Sun” and “Time.” With an already dynamic catalogue that seemingly showcases the band’s full scope of capability, what more do Vundabar have to offer? The answer is a lot, actually.
On their latest album, Surgery and Pleasure, the Boston trio prove once again that they are able to take new forms while still maintaining their post-punk disposition and emotionally rooted sound. With each album released, Vundabar have been able to deliver albums that take on their own personality, an achievement that most bands, especially those with over five studio releases, fail to accomplish despite their best efforts. Surgery and Pleasure is no exception. In fact, it’s one of the most interesting personalities the band have delivered yet.
Sonically, the album brings in elements inspired by the dance and electronic genre that’s absent from previous releases. The use of a drum machine at times, as well as the intricate layering within the album’s production, guides the sound into a more artistic realm with guitar riffs that strike through in sharp, angular fashion, vocals that bring attention to the contrast of light and dark and bass lines that add vibrancy with a comforting wash of colors. It’s clear that production was a thoroughly considered element when constructing the record, which has allowed the band to achieve a new level of artistry.
But don’t think Vundabar have lost their edge. A through line of chaos and pent up energy runs through the first six tracks, within its striking guitar riffs and singer Brandon Hagan’s vocal style that ebbs and flows with the tone of each song. The album settles into a quieter, more steady feel on “Feels Like Forever,” before showcasing a more lo-fi approach on “I Need You” with a slow drum shuffle and delicate, ethereal guitar.
Regardless of the tone or style that the songs incorporate, they don’t rattle off in a disjointed manner. Instead, they keep the pace and pique interest with each new stylistic choice, while staying true to the conventions of the band that have contributed to their overarching sonic identity.
The album ends with “Why Is It So Hard To Say Goodbye,” which feels more like a spoken word poem, stripped back without the embellishments of intricately layered production, it sheds its armor and exposes the true heart of the album that grounds the entire project. Surgery and Pleasure, both in its final sonic form, as well as its poignant lyrical content, showcases what it feels like to be alive and to be in love, even when it feels like everything has fallen apart. It’s about relationships being mended, about picking up the pieces after your world has shattered. It’s about resilience. It’s a masterful showcase of how music keeps us alive and connected, how it keeps us going.
