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vee device

Autobiography Of A Dying Band

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Two Minute Review/Preview: vee device

vee device is: vee (Sam Ernst), G-Man (Grant Gordy) and &roid (Dennis Bigelow)
Hailing from: Fort Collins
Newest CD: “Autobiography of a Dying Band”
Sounds like: Belle and Sebastian or They Might Be Giants with banjos.
Accordion???: Yep these guys even make accordion cool. The instrumentation ranges from bass, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, accordion and trombone.
Mix CD: “Autobiography” goes from a melancholy intro (“Mist on the Moor”) to an upbeat bluegrass instrumental (“Sweepin’ the Chimney”) to almost 70s pop song-styled ode to the past (“Ghosts in the Glass”)
Huh?: Some of the lyrics are really great (“So much for life’s work; the years go in, reduced to a paragraph — lines on paper. Might as well shelve the pen and sheave the sword.”) and others just make you scratch your head, at least the first time you hear them (“The last four digits of my phone number are the same as my social security.”) Keep listening though; amazingly this first line to the song “Dreams on the Floor” completely works.
Better the second time round: Listen to it at least twice before deciding on vee. This is not an instant classic band. The first listen through you, probably like me, won’t like it. But listen again. vee Device is like scotch — an acquired taste but one you’re so glad you found.
Why you should go: If the banter between songs on the CD is any indication this band should be a hoot to see live.
Why you shouldn’t go: You can’t get past song titles like “Abductualized,” “The Ballad of Abdul Sharif” and “Wind Over Yokohama Bay.”

Coloradoan -- Friday, July 1, 2005
By Stacy Nick