Klum - Victory All My Life

Creating a truly independent record (self-released, as it is), California-based quintet Klum has quietly been able to release one of the strongest debuts of 2006. Full of moody, melodic rock songs which conjure up a wealth of imagery, Victory All My Life ably captures the band’s potential. The album suggests the possibility of Klum one day infiltrating the ranks of bands who manage the rare combination of being both commercially successful and artistically viable. Opening track “Focus” is a slice of OK Computer-era, Radiohead-influenced pop, alternating between the ethereal and the aggressive. While many of the song’s successors could be classified similarly, the band and co-producer Matt Brown (of Trespassers William) do an excellent job of focusing on and highlighting points of nuance that allow the album’s best material to both distinguish itself and remain in context. Victory All My Life features some of the best producing and arranging one could find on a self-released project, sounding professional without feeling unnecessarily polished. Such excellent production is heard on tracks like “Breathe Machine”, which starts delicately with an organ drone and then patiently evolves into a mid-tempo rock track driven by atmospheric guitars. “I Can’t Dance” spotlights the harmonic interplay between Brock Flores and Joe Fraley and features understated horns. The album’s finest track, “Villains and Their Pets” is a chaotic brew of pulsing rhythms, soaring vocals and dynamic piano figures. The album’s only noticeable flaw is that, at times, Victory All My Life displays Klum’s influences a bit too well. The band credits artists like Radiohead, Sigur Ros and The Arcade Fire with having a significant impact on their music. On a few occasions, one wonders where their inspiration ends and Klum’s creative process begins. Despite this infrequent falling back on influences (which is not an uncommon thing for a young band to do), Klum has released a record that fans of intelligent and interesting rock should be aware of. [www.klumonline.com]