VHS and the Babies - Beyond Imagination / You've Got 2 Crawl Before You Can Rock

Name: VHS and the Babies
Album: Beyond Imagination / You've Got 2 Crawl Before You Can Rock
Year: 2004
Style: Indie Pop, Dreampop
Similar Bands: Tullycraft, Camera Obscura, Essex Green, Track Star, Besties, Beulah, Saturday Looks Good to Me, Not Fur Longs, Joanna Gruesome, Talulah Gosh
"One-Word" Review: Uplifting Bouncy Naïve Pop
Based Out Of: Charlottesville, VA
Label: Rescue, Retrieval & Rawk-Us Pop (RR&RP)

Cover & Back

Insert Cover & Back, Insert 2 Back, CD

Insert Liner Notes, Insert 2 Note

Beyond Imagination / You've Got 2 Crawl Before You Can Rock (2004)

1. Quick, Quick Like a Bunny 1:57
2. Tony Danza v. the Unspeakable Vice of the Greeks 1:42
3. Roll On, Rolly Wheel 1:44
4. Harvard Man 1:20
5. Government 4 $ale Inc. 1:48
6. Matthew Arnold Visits South of the Border 1:43
7. New Wave 2:02
8. Scully's Baby 2:14
9. Use Your Illusion 1:38
10. Who Let the Pogs Out & Put Them Back In & Neutered Them 1:09
11. Booty-Call 2:58
12. Not Your Pinky 0:40
13. Hiding 1:51
14. Welcome to the Sweet Valley School of Hard Knocks 2:37
15. Old/New 3:06
16. Don't Tell Your Papa 1:42
17. West Coast 1:34
18. Baby Je$us's Microphone 2:45

Album Rating (1-10): 9.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Andy Miller - Keys, Vox (Gulf Coast Army)
• Mike Powell - Drums (Gulf Coast Army, Richard Your Postman)
• Sam Turner - Vox, Guitar (Hilarious Posters)
• Wendy Korwin - Vox, Bass 

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, but it do love the randomness of the song titles, the cutesy DIY album artwork with the googly eye monster, and the short song lengths that suggest fun quirky indie pop. My only concern is that it is too cutesy or silly in an embarrassing way. 

Album Review: Twee, indie synth and bouncy pop form the backbones to this record. It is just fun, catchy and precious enough to tap into the positive enjoyment section of your brain. While most of the songs are less than 2 minutes, they feel like fleshed out songs rather then sketches. This is kinda right up my alley.

This appears to be their only release, and although most of the members were in other bands around the Charlottesville area, there is not much out there about this early aughts band, who survived for about two years 2003 - 2004

Stand Out Track: Tony Danza v. the Unspeakable Vice of the Greeks, Quick, Quick Like a Bunny, Matthew Arnold Visits South of the Border, Hiding, Harvard Man

Links:

Discogs

2003 show review

Bandcamp

Youtube playlist

Snow & Voices - s/t

Name: Snow & Voices
Album: s/t
Year: 2005
Style: Singer Songwriter Pop, Dreampop
Similar Bands: Neko Case, Portishead, Cowboy Junkies, Fiona Apple, Mazzy Star, Isobel Campbell, Luscious Jackson
"One-Word" Review:
Based Out Of: LA
Label: Bird Song Records

Cover, Tray Artwork

Back, Lyrics, CD

Snow & Voices (2005)

1. Carry Us Home 4:07
2. Nothing Certain 4:41
3. A Dream of Happiness 3:36
4. In Pieces Through the Door 3:08
5. Goodnight New York 3:28
6. Like a Flower to the Sun3:45
7. Ordinary Girl 4:01
8. No Regrets 4:18
9. Go Your Own Way 4:00 (Fleetwood Mac cover)
10. You Are Beside Me 3:43

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Lauri Kranz - Lyrics, Vox
• Jebin Bruni - Lyrics, Piano, Prohet V, Organ, Bass, Chamberlin, Celeste, Arp Pro, Nord, Guitar, Harmonium, Bass Pedals, Producer
• Greg Leisz - Lyrics, Guitar, Pedal Steel, Producer
• Buddy Judge - Guitar, Bass, Keys, Backing Vox, Producer
• Ric Menck - Drums
• Jennifer Condos - Bass
• Darrell Thorp - Piano Strings, Producer, Engineer, Mixing,
• Jeffery Cain - Guitar
• Jay Bellerose - Drums
• Mike Lazer - Mastering
• Cyndi Finkel - Photos
• Mike Weihs - Album Design (Heroes &Villains)

Unknown-ness: Never heard of Snow & Voices, so based on the artwork, color scheme and liner notes, i'm guessing this will be slow, folksy pop, with lots of space in the songs. Perhaps it will be more chamber music and dreamy, floating songs. The band seems like it is just Lauri Kranz and friends.

Album Review: Light and dreamy definitely describe this piano pop. "A Dream of Happiness" sounds like a slowed down, floating Imperial Teen track. "In Pieces Through the Door" has a distorted and Alt-90's Garbage + Portishead + Luscious Jackson sound to it, with a delightful catchy & building music box interlude. While it is not representative of the album, it is the most unique and complex track. "Goodnight NY." "Go Your Own Way." & "Ordinary Girl" are intimate, delicate lullabies where you can hear all the clicks and percussive elements of her turn of phrase as she sings with a slight cavernous echo. Flower to the Sun is a good, straight forward pop song, with a touch of country folk.

The band had three albums in 5 years, this being their first. There is more posted about their last 2010 album than this one, She had a career shift after that, and started a company called Edible Gardens LA, which she is still working with today.

Stand Out Track: In Pieces Through the Door

Links:

Discogs

Allmusic
Baeble Music

cover me songs
Rate Your Music
Anti Music
Xumo
KCRW-1
soundcloud
Interview with Lauri: We Are Bird

Edible Gardens LA insta
Edible Gardens LA
Ijamming