Name: Kibitzer
Brand: Vintage Crop

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

UTR147

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Colour

Colour details

Discogs ID

Discs

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2022-07-15

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Tax rate GB

UPC / Barcode

828887114722

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1 / CD / Extended format: No / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No

UTR147V

{"blocks": [{"data": {"text": "UTR147V"}, "type": "paragraph"}]}

black

180 Gram Black Vinyl.

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2022-06-24

828887114739

{"blocks": [{"data": {"text": "828887114739"}, "type": "paragraph"}]}

1 / Extended format: No / LP / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No / black

UTR147S

{"blocks": [{"data": {"text": "UTR147S"}, "type": "paragraph"}]}

blue

Sky Blue

{"blocks": [{"data": {"text": "Sky Blue"}, "type": "paragraph"}]}

Extended format: Yes

180 Gram Vinyl

{"blocks": [{"data": {"text": "180 Gram Vinyl"}, "type": "paragraph"}]}

828887114715

{"blocks": [{"data": {"text": "828887114715"}, "type": "paragraph"}]}

1 / Extended format: Yes / LP / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No / blue

Artist

Vintage Crop

Genre GB

New Wave / Post Punk

Label GB

Upset The Rhythm

Geelong, Melbourne’s favourite sons Vintage Crop return this summer with their much-anticipated fourth album, Kibitzer.

Running with the ball that 2020’s Serve To Serve Again punted forward, this album marks another energetic break towards the goal for Vintage Crop. Kibitzer sees the band define their field of play, more melodic at times, still bruising, forever droll. These ten tracks of ‘snappy as elastic’ Australian punk are packed with tensile riffage, hefty beats and witty refrains of everyman curiosity.

Kibitzer was written in quick response to their critically lauded Serve To Serve Again album. Harsh guitars, a brutish rhythm section and a knack for always having the right words at hand are still abundant, but this time Vintage Crop’s songs expand upon their forceful nature with greater harmonic arrangement. It was recorded by Jasper Jolley in one single session on a former apple orchard in Geelong, a backdrop that mirrors the band’s own organic growth whilst highlighting their willingness to approach capturing their own sound their own way. The album was then mixed and mastered by Mikey Young.

Kibitzer delves into themes of identity, resilience and acceptance; some of the more upbeat notions that the band have dealt with to date. ‘Casting Calls’ opens the record, slamming through the speakers with gusto and setting the tone for the following 30 minutes. “It’s rolling, we’re rolling, we’re winding back the tape, we’re getting better with each take” sings lead songwriter Jack Cherry. Accepting your limitations and taking pride in your work are key themes on Kibitzer. In fact ideas around learning, growing and being able to take things in your stride are strongly felt through their entire body of work. These themes hit home with the album’s title too, with Cherry feeling that ‘Kibitzer’ is an apt way to describe a lot of the band’s focus. “I feel like a lot of our lyrics over the years have been our unsolicited opinions on other people’s situations, the very definition of the word Kibitzer. So for this record we wanted to lean into that tendency by acknowledging it and even go as far as stamping it on the album cover.”

Musically the band have expanded their palette on this album; exploring a world of rhythmic harmony and a newfound vocal melodicism. There’s also greater lyrical elaboration and considered song structures at play. ‘The Duke’ is a mob of rollicking chants and heavy hitting, catchy to the core. ‘The Bloody War’ is a more sanguine reflection of tumbling drums, struck chords and shrill keyboard warble. “He’s got the keys to the universe and they’re hanging from his belt loop, his wit is as quick as lightning, his disapproving gaze is the thunder that follows” pipes Cherry on ‘Double Slants’, guitars chiming through the hubbub. ‘Hold The Line’ turns the wry amusement of dealing with cold callers into a fidgety anthem of knowing frustration. Whilst ‘Switched Off’ even welcomes the introduction of horns (courtesy of Heidi Peel) to the group’s repertoire, ushering in an unexpected serenity into their tough sound.