The Van Pelt: "Caught in the Past"

The Van Pelt - "Artisans & Merchants"
Label: Gringo Records/La Castanya/Spartan Records

THE VAN PELT are one of my all-time favourite bands and their two albums from the 90s, "Stealing from our Favorite Thieves" and "Sultans of Sentiment", are both clear cut classics to me. Their "Imaginary Third", released in 2014, wasn't a new studio album and fell more in the category of "fan service" with five previously unreleased tracks among the songs from the selftitled EP. Now, I wasn't really asking for their comeback record in 2023. It's been 25 years since they came together to record some music. In certain kind of cases something like that can work out, but most of the time it won't. THE VAN PELT's heritage is indestructible, no doubt, but there wasn't much to add for them. Still, they tried...

To be fair, I knew that I wouldn't like their comeback record "Artisans & Merchants" after listening to "Punk House" and "Image of Health" in advance. At least I was hoping for a glimpse of the old brilliance in some of the other tracks. Well, I guess now I have my approval. It's hard for me to hate on them, yet this is probably the most pointless comeback record since AT THE DRIVE-IN's "in-ter-a-li-a" in 2017. 

When it comes to the music you can't accuse them for desperately clinging to their past work. This is pure Indie-Rock now with heavy heavy Dream-Pop-vibes. Sure, you get some of their trademarks like Chris Leo's vocals, their quirky lyrics or melodicism that is somehow akin to older songs. Yet, at large "Artisans & Merchants" is a totally different experience. I wasn't expecting them to burst out in best "His Step is my Prairie"-fashion. 26 long years have past since "Sultans of Sentiment" and thus their new, more quiet style is believable and authentic. They're way older now. You just move slower with age and you get boring. But this new version of THE VAN PELT turned out to be really really boring.

Personally I can't stand the snoozy Dream-Pop-vibe on this record and as a whole they sound too clean to me. Sure, I miss the rough character, the edges, the emotion, the passion, the Punk-spirit. In 2023 THE VAN PELT only write about their good 'ol Punk-days. They remember their small house shows ("Punk House") or recall going to various gigs where they lost their keys and their wallet ("Grid"). They sing a lot about a long gone past and subconsciously confess that they don't have much to say anymore. And if that wasn't enough their lyrics got downright silly. Just listen to "Cold Coconuts" for a prime example. Their strongest and most memorable message probably is the one in "Image of Health", yet the song gives me a feeling of preachy oldtimer-babble. Maybe I can relate to that in 2040, but for now, nah! Dang, the lyrics on "Artisans & Merchants" are a far cry from their 90s stuff!

Another thing that's bewildering to me is Chris Leo's tonation, as he seems to have developed a strange accent in the last 25 years. That's a rather small detail but one that just fits to the anticlimatic feeling of their new record. Maybe I'm getting a bit too biased now, based on my own frustration (though the fuck, I wasn't expecting anything from this record!), so I'll try to find something positive... oh, well... these songs don't hurt you!! It's solid Indie-Rock and okay-ish background music 'til the moment you remember you're listening to a THE VAN PELT-record. Also, I did like that riff from the title track and that song might be the most worthwhile on here also. The absolutely best thing about the existence of "Artisans & Merchants": You get reminded of their 90s-awesomeness and quite possibly get the desire to go back to "Stealing from our Favorite Thieves" or "Sultans of Sentiment". Do that. Just do it. They deserve it!

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