In the heartland of the San Francisco Bay Area, a musical alchemy took shape that would come to be known as The Vrbs. With the dawning of late 2019, former Audiobender companions Jared Richard, the virtuoso of guitars and vocals, and Paul Cingolani, the maestro of bass, joined hands with rhythmic sorcerer Jeff Ham, once the beating heart of Weapon Eleven. Together, they embarked on a sonic odyssey, carving a mesmerizing niche within the tapestry of contemporary rock. The essence of The Vrbs lies not only in their musical prowess but in their ability to weave a narrative through sound, summoning an era that resonates like the echo of a timeless dream. Echoes of the ‘90s abound, infused with a modern vitality that sets their craft aflame. The Vrbs bring the goods on the recent self-titled double album The Vrbs.
There are fifteen songs on this album and they go down smooth with catchy melodies and anthemic hooks. Songs like “New Drug” and “Without You” mix elements of garage rock and dance punk that revitalized rock. You can hear some influence from bands like The Strokes and other like-minded artists.
I felt like the second disc showed some other sides to their talents. Some of the songs felt vast in their scope. “Gravity” is a slightly dark but explosive song that displays the band’s ability to create heart pounding dynamics.
There’s also some down and dirty garage/punk rock and they do this best on a song like “Blow It Up” which felt like an instant classic. The misty and psychedelic desert landscape on “Run” is another high point on the album.
The Vrbs is a great rock band. There’s no questioning that. For fans of high energy rock who appreciate some novel aspects as well this will be your new favorite band.