Vue – Down For Whatever

Release Date: January 1, 2004
Reviewed by Sonya Sutherland

The Vue has come out with a happy-go-lucky, good feeling album. The overall vibe is peppy and free and certainly well described by its title- Down for Whatever.

Of course Garage rock seems to be all they hype theses days but most bands that get that label slapped on them end up sounding like another Strokes wanna-be. The Vue is garage rock, so The Strokes comparisons are destine to come, but Down for Whatever isn’t just another example the game of garage rock copycat. Down for Whatever sounds like a garage rock album because it is garage rock, but that doesn’t necessarily make it tired and tried already. The cool think about The Vue is that, in the scheme of garage rock things, they have built their own unique blend- a blues rock vibe with a little bit of Honkey Tonk, a little bit of glam, and a little bit of punk via Iggy Pop.

Down for Whatever’s sometimes nonsense lyrics (like “you know babies are for petting”), big drums, and infectious pop/punk/blues stylings all work together in perfect harmony. The songs The Rest, and Some Kids have great foot-stomping drumbeat and display the best of The Vue’s 60’s Rolling Stoneish side. Then you have the bluesy guitar in Don’t Be Yourself, while the slower Take Two Kisses is a good cool down song. Then, Prettyshapes makes for a great Doors type ballad and confirms one thing for sure- The Vue know what it means to play a guitar solo and when and where to take it.

All of Down for Whatever is great. These kids rock out!