The Van Pelt's "Stealing from our Favorite Thieves" turns 25

THE VAN PELT are one of my favourite bands ever and this is one my favourite albums ever, in fact one of two straight masterpieces. If I think about bands that never did get the recognition they would've deserved, THE VAN PELT immediately come to my mind. Even their cult following was never really huge, up to this point. So... why? 

I'll try my best to come up with some assumptions. First, they were odd. Yeah, they probably catered to a smaller audience, than their potential would've allowed them to cater, if that makes any sense. Then they didn't fit in anywhere. This whole Indie-Emo-thing of bands like SUNNY DAY REAL ESTATE, TEXAS IS THE REASON or MINERAL started to take off quite a bit during that time, but THE VAN PELT weren't like that. They neither didn't fit into the Post-Hardcore of that time and they didn't have any tendencies to rock it commercially. Disbanding already in 1997 they also missed the mainstream hype of the genre, but they wouldn't have cared anyway...

When I first heard this album, it really floored me. I've come to know the lead singer's former band NATIVE NOD after I listened to THE VAN PELT, but even it would've been the outer way around, the result would stay the same. I do like NATIVE NOD, but THE VAN PELT was on another level. Stylistically it was the perfect mix of the former aggressivness, bittersweet Emo-melodies, graceful Indie-Rock-tendencies and catchy, but crushing hooks. And then... the voice of Ted Chris Leo. A voice that touches me in a way like no other, with lyrics that are just completely out of the box, memorable and heartwarming. 

The songs then are just killer after killer. "His Steppe is my Prarie" is one of the best album openers ever and might just be my favorite with that energetic rhythm, that beautiful melodic guitar and that powerful chorus that is just so relieving to loudly yell along to! "Magic Fantasy" is the absolute breakup-hymn, withouth going the cheesy route. "You are the Glue" is without a doubt one of the most well-written Emo-/Postcore-tracks ever and that climax near the end is so wonderfully built that I get totally lost in it, time after time. "His Saxophone is my Guitar" is just intensity in its purest form and... I could go on, but it probably wouldn't do that album justice anyhow.

"Stealing from our Favorite Thieves" is one of the rare records that hit my heart direclty while kicking my ass relentlessly and stimulate my mind cleverly. If you don't like this album it's unquestionably your fault. Thanks to THE VAN PELT and Gern Blandsten Records. And happy anniversary to this still unique record!