(self-released, 2011)Vienna Ditto are the kind of band which you can only presume will go far; that is to say, they sound rather like a band jumping through hoops. Their songs are clearly written with a wide audience in mind and although this is by no means a bad thing it can sometimes detract from the overall power of the songs. ‘Wintertime’ is a sultry start to the EP, sounding like Portishead if they were fronted by Lily Allen rather than Beth Gibbons. They do the sassy front-woman-on-a-mission thing on ‘This is Normal’, with Hatty Taylor singing “this is f’d up” like a combination of Allen, Róisín Murphy and Florence Welch. EP closer ‘Dang’ is a brief but well written love song with an infectiously wily rock guitar riff and suitably ‘indie’ middle eight.
That’s the thing – all the songs are pretty well written and infectious and sound like they’d be at home on the radio, but it’s unlikely that they’d stand out amongst all the other hit-makers who reside there. They’re not quite edgy enough to hook in the hipsters, and nowhere near inane enough to compete with most commercial drivel which leaves Vienna Ditto in a somewhat awkward position. Ironically, the most introverted song here, ‘Best Shot’, is the one in which Vienna Ditto spread their wings musically and where Taylor’s voice feels most comfortable. The song is experimental and atmospheric, unusual even, and the lyrics are suitably bruised; the marching drums and strong expressive vocals recall some of Bjork’s quieter moments. This is where Vienna Ditto’s real strengths lie, but with a Glastonbury performance and a Maida Vale session under their belts already, they may already be on the path to moderate stardom.
[Originally published on MusicInOxford.co.uk, 24/02/11]
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