Double Virgo, the collaborative project featuring Bar Italia's guitarists Sam Fenton and Jezmi Tarik Fehmi, unveils their latest musical offering, 'Shakedown.' This album signifies a notable shift in their creative direction, moving beyond the raw, compilation-like nature of their earlier works. While still retaining a sense of improvisational energy, 'Shakedown' exhibits a clearer production and a more intentional approach to songwriting, hinting at the duo's increasing commitment to their side project. The release prompts a deeper consideration of their artistic evolution, as they strive to integrate their spontaneous, garage-band origins with a desire for greater musical refinement. This exploration highlights the intriguing tension within their sound, oscillating between carefree experimentation and a burgeoning professionalism.
Before the formation of Sonic Youth, Kim Gordon explored New York's intensely masculine underground rock scene in her essay, "Trash Drugs and Male Bonding," noting how one can easily become "out of tune" with the prevailing currents. This sentiment resonates with the music crafted by Double Virgo. Sam Fenton and Jezmi Tarik Fehmi, both members of Bar Italia, produce guitar-driven tracks that often sound unpolished, offering a raw, almost intrusive auditory experience. Their sound, characterized by detuned guitars and an atmosphere of melancholic reminiscence, evokes a sense of genuine, if somewhat inebriated, male camaraderie. While not as chaotic as the performances Gordon observed at CBGB, their music possesses an earnestness that distinguishes it, particularly given the context of their shared musical journey.
Fenton and Fehmi are primarily recognized for their contributions to Bar Italia, a British ensemble whose early sound could be described as a blend of ethereal beauty and unsettling darkness. Their standout tracks often featured a hushed, melancholic vocal delivery, reminiscent of spectral figures longing for connection. In contrast, Double Virgo sees them exchanging their previous band's brooding intensity for a more genial, sing-along style. This shift makes Double Virgo's output feel like the spontaneous outcome of a casual jam session that evolved into a structured band. The resulting sound is often disheveled and imperfect, yet it periodically yields moments of significant musical merit.
With 'Shakedown,' their third full-length release, a critical question arises: is 'pretty good' the pinnacle of their potential? This latest album, conceptually, presents a more cohesive vision than its predecessors, which often felt like hastily assembled collections of previously unused material. 'Shakedown' stands as Double Virgo's first album that truly feels like a unified body of work, suggesting a growing commitment from Fenton and Fehmi, even if their sound sometimes belies this seriousness. The production is more accessible, the guitar riffs are cleaner, and the overall songwriting demonstrates greater maturity.
However, 'Shakedown's' defining challenge, which prevents it from transcending the "pretty good" category, lies in the duo's apparent indecision regarding how to reconcile their newfound seriousness with their raw, "boys-in-a-basement" aesthetic. This internal conflict results in music that often feels stuck in a middle ground, where glimpses of sophisticated musicianship are frequently undercut by juvenile flourishes. A prime example is "Role Play," a track that showcases impressive vocal layering, nearly achieving the intricate soundscapes of classic Police. Yet, the impact is diminished by overly simplistic and frankly crude lyrical content. These incongruities are perplexing, especially considering the higher caliber of their individual projects. For instance, Fenton's recent work, 'The Richest Man in Babylon OST,' featuring the surprisingly refined "Aria," starkly contrasts with tracks like "red card" on 'Shakedown,' which regrettably sounds like a clumsy, uninspired pub singalong.
The members of Bar Italia have consistently sought to convey their authenticity, pushing back against perceptions of being enigmatic or reclusive. They assert themselves as ordinary individuals creating music with genuine conviction. Paradoxically, with Double Virgo, one might be tempted to embrace the allure of mystery, if only to inject more intrigue into their narrative. The album's most compelling tracks are often its more straightforward and understated compositions, such as "alarm bells in central plaza," a minimalist, three-chord ballad imbued with a sense of paranoia, or "sams fragrant dungeon," a spirited guitar anthem possessing the intimate feel of an impromptu post-rehearsal jam. These moments hint at a deeper well of creativity, leaving the listener wishing for more, despite knowing that such potential exists within the duo.
This leads to a crucial question: does a highly polished studio album truly capture the essence of Double Virgo, as effectively as their earlier, rougher demos? Their previous releases often gave the impression of two skilled musicians playfully experimenting in their spare time, perhaps recording with basic equipment. The most satisfying Double Virgo offering remains 2023's 'Hardrive Heat Seeking,' a sprawling 36-track collection that perfectly encapsulated the exhilaration of unrestrained creativity. It is not a matter of whether Fenton and Fehmi are capable of producing excellent studio albums; they have demonstrated this ability. Rather, as long as Double Virgo serves primarily as an outlet for casual, low-stakes musical endeavors, the project will likely continue to struggle with its conflicting aspirations, caught between spontaneous creation and the demands of polished artistry.