Alternating between Connecticut and NYC, indie-rock duo Violent Mae craft a sleepy yet infectious vein of guitar-driven rock. Comprised of Becky Kessler (vocals, guitar) and Floyd Kellogg (drums, bass, banjo, and piano), Violent Mae have released a pleasing effort with “Hole in My Heart”. Kessler pursues lackadaisical yet highly melodic vocals, comparable to PJ Harvey in their quivering nonchalance. Her crunchy layers of guitar are supported by Kellogg’s conventionally steady rhythmic backbone. It leads to a mellow chorus that marks the track’s greatest point of clarity. “Just before I drift off you come back in my head,” Kessler sings at this point, turning the nonchalant verses into a melancholic longing in the chorus. “Hole in My Heart” is a low-key yet overall effective track that shows Violent Mae as a group quite contrary to their name. Instead of violent guitar lashes, Violent Mae take a patient approach to their pop songwriting, somewhat dreamily and stoned while retaining a slick guitar-driven infectiousness that becomes prominent as the track progresses.
I just saw these guys at the Westville Art Fair. They were great. I liked them enough to buy their cd, which is something I rarely do, because so often the cd isn’t like what your hear at a show. Not so, with Violent Mae. The cd is awesome and very much what you want after seeing them live. Great band.