By: Sue Hardee

Wow. These guys are REALLY good. Yes, that is simply put, I realize, but it seems to be the best way to describe what I’ve just heard. That was my immediate opinion upon my first listen to the first few tracks on I Was Totally Destroying It’s latest release Horror Vacui.

The opening track, Beneath You All The Way, feels like when your early morning caffeine hits your blood stream, and you immediately get energized and ready to start the day. It is a great track to start off with. The following two tracks, Done Waiting and Former Boy Wonder are equally upbeat, and hold the listener’s attention. The two slower paced songs following, which I enjoyed very much, are Cup of Tea and Evergreen. Come Out, Come Out picks the pace back up, and it stays that way for the track Greens Means Go, which I’ll call a happy little number. It puts a smile on your face and a spring in your step. Turn My Grave mellows you back out and features two part harmony by John and Rachel that is fantastic. Forfeit The Win is up next, and gets your body moving again. This one had a Foo Fighters feel to it. I love how the closing track, The Ocean, starts off with just a piano and Rachel’s vocals and quickly turns into yet another head-bobber of a tune.

Throughout the album, John Booker and Rachel Hirsh take turns on lead vocals, while also harmonizing and working off of each other. This works beautifully for these two, as their voices are very well-suited for each other. Rachel’s vocals immediately reminded me of Aimee Mann, now solo artist formerly of the band Til Tuesday. The music on this album has a very current, radio-friendly feel. The production of Horror Vacui as a whole is top notch. I get the impression that I Was Totally Destroying It never does anything halfway. My dealings with Todd Berry, their label manager at Greyday Records, have been equally pleasant. I’ll have to give this one a perfect score of five stars, as well. What can I say, I love this. I plan to listen to it often and tell my friends.