Vetiver - Tight Knit

Sub Pop
Published February 19, 2009  by Christine Leonard in Record Reviews

Sharing their name with a type of perennial grass native to India, the wild oats in Vetiver sow their unique brand of soft-core folk-pop with style and aplomb. Often joined onstage by sideshow bard Devendra Banhart, the San Francisco-based ensemble seems eager to show off what five years of touring has done for the band. Adorned with a map of the constellations, Tight Knit proves to be one aptly named album. The brightest moments here come when vocalist Andy Cabic unleashes his breathy lullabies to the skies, accompanied by an exceptionally competent Sanders Trippe on 12-string guitar. Clavinet, cello, trombone, trumpet, flugelhorn and the like add body and texture to happy jingles like “More of This” and altruistic wallflower laments like “Sister,” with its “Stand by Me” hook. Replete with ultra-hip percussion and a decidedly laidback approach, Vetiver’s slightly eerie sense of nostalgia renders them irresistible.



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