CD Review by Roya Butler

Genre
Punk rock / hard rock

Just because a band is making waves, it doesn’t mean their latest album is any good—in this case the stories are true, as “A Beat Missing or a Silence Added” is one of the must listen to albums of the year. Hailing from Cleveland, Ohio, The Vacancies’ give their fans nothing but high energy and the love for what they do is highly reflected in the music they create and in their live performances. Their presentation is honest and raw, piercing your heart with their profound brand of punk rock. Produced by Joan Jett, this is their sophomore album, and first album for Joan Jett’s Blackheart Records label.

My favorite song on the album, Radio Revolution, explains how corporate big wigs spoon feed the masses with a smile while collecting their checks, whereas classic rock radio was more organic. Live Fast Die Young (LFDY) is a non-stop adrenaline high with fast paced music, underlying fervent vocal delivery. LFDY is destined to be an underground punk rock classic.

Punk rock has gotten so generic lately, but you’ll find none of that here. Touring with The Adolecents this summer, and coming back this fall on tour with Joan Jett, The Vacancies are destined to become a staple in the punk/hard rock community, keeping it real and creating albums and high energy shows that consistently deliver classic hard punk that loads up the scene with truth.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5