Before I had even heard Velociraptor, their exquisite taste in music had already found them a place in my heart. Navigating my way around Rdio one day, I stumbled across their playlist featuring the likes of Ty Segall, The Hives, Dick Dale, The Stooges, The Sonics, The Kinks, Talking Heads plus many more quality rock‘n’roll and garage bands. Immediately I had thought, in the words of The Cramps, “Damn Velociraptor, you got goooooood taste.” I had yet to hear them, all I had was this play list and the DZ Deathrays association from which to base the assumption that I was going to dig to this mini album. Not much to go on really, but my instincts were dead on and digging this album is somewhat of an understatement.
The World Warriors is a party album, recalling all that is good in the garage, pop and rock world. It’s about girls, good times and gettin’ down but it doesn’t limit itself to one feel. Velociraptor know where to get rawkus, where to throw in some harmonies, and where to keep it stripped back. Most importantly they know how to write captivating songs, entrenched in familiar time tested melodies that incite the party, making The World Warriors the perfect soundtrack to your weekend. Cynthia partners snarling guitar with pop awareness and a sing a long chorus, poking fun at the instant gratification generation of which they belong. It sets the tone for a vintage inspired album that keeps its energy and intentions with the here and now. The Walk On By owes much to the classic ’60s bands The Kinks, The Small Faces and The Easybeats, its grooves work their way into your hips and its vocal melodies cement themselves in your head. Jnr Astronauts channels King Khan in his outfit The Shrines; its dynamic party rock‘n’roll with a grinding R&B core – making it a dance floor definite. Do The Ruby adds to the life blood of the album with its raw and unhinged garage punk attack, primal rock‘n’roll howls from who knows which of their many vocalists abound. Riot is more melodic in nature but features off the hook messy group vocals that inject some raw appeal into the verse. Classic surf/spy sounding guitar tones takes Mystery Man into more traditional ’60s garage territory while pop affiliate Scientists is probably the most bubble gum track on The World Warriors, compete with handclaps and a chorus that could comfortably sit in a ’50s radio hit. It’s no surprise that closer Surf City Raptors is a salute to The Beach Boys as it celebrates the love between surfer boys and girls and the ability of the male voice to reach suspiciously high notes.
There’s an ardent recklessness that runs thorough The World Warriors and while the album is steeped in ’60s pop, it beats with a rock’n’roll heart and bares a punk soul. Velociraptor’s formula is far from complicated, but it doesn’t need to be, they wear their influences on their sleeve and I’m sure they wouldn’t be ashamed to admit the fact. Their songs are far from derivative, they merely echo some of the greats and the melodies and arrangements on The World Warriors boast craftsmanship of an undeniably high level.
BY KRYSTAL MAYNARD
Best Track: Riot
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Ultraglide In Black THE DIRTBOMBS, The Supreme Genius Of King Khan And The Shrines KING KHAN & THE SHRINES, Family Tree BLACK LIPS
In A Word: Rousing
