Verktum – Verktum EP (Self-Released) 2003. The band Verktum is the same group as the band VRKTM that I raved about back in June 2007. At some point they got rid of their vowels. Who needs em? That’s what I always say. That’s why I am now going by J Stmbl.
Anyway, I digress.
This has gotta be one of my favourite recordings of the past few years. Guitarist Dave Bird sent this to me a few weeks back and it literally has not left my CD player since then. I mean Dave is one hot shit guitarist man and really on the first Verktum album he and the rest of the band rip thru some SERIOUS Magic Band type avant-shuffle. One of the coolest things about Verktum is their ability to meld completely disparate elements into a totally cohesive whole. Take Black Hand for instance. The thing starts off as a pseudo-1960s garage rock choogle and at some point breaks into a total 70s stoner rock riff this comes right after Face Walk which feels like some kind of demented waltz/polka type thing. All the while, the rhythm section of this band just flat out rocks.
As you can see I really love Verktum and feel they should have been a lot bigger than they were. Now they are gone and you missed the boat. But it’s not too late! You can still admire the genius of the band in retrospect.
