SoundCloud pls don't take this down I'm not making any revenue off this <3

Beachboy 2

Dec. 13th 1998

Places

Almost seven years had passed after the release of “Punk Cathedral”, and The Kiss That Took A Trip’s very own survival was at stake. A dark concoction of frustration, personal trauma and lack of drive put Trello’s musical child at the verge of withdrawal as late as summer 2023, even when this album was nearly finished. Some might say that things happen for a reason (no, they don’t), but somehow, discipline and the subconscious pursuit of a record that could actually have mass appeal did the trick, and today, “Victims of the avantgarde” is an impressive reality, if only for its stubbornness to be born.

But truth is that the fourth proper album by The Kiss That Took A Trip impresses on more fronts. Firstly, the immediate sensation is that this is the biggest step up in production in The Kiss’ career. Secondly, one can realize that this oeuvre is the culmination of a slow but steady transition from instrumental music to 100 % (sort of) conventional alternative pop/rock songs, that has taken 18 years, so coming of age is more than a statistic this time. In fact, the tracks on “Victims of the avantgarde” sound like something beyond that: they do feel like, at times, destined to sit comfortably on the mainstream. The only extravagance? The songs consistently reach the five or six minute mark. Although a noticeable shortening, The Kiss is proud to keep falling behind the trend of ever diminishing running times of songs…

All in all, “Victims of the avantgarde” goes by like a breeze, tickling the ears in many different ways but always sticking to the (this time) innegotiable premise of melody above anything else. Of all the possible comeback albums in other alternate universes, it’s hard to think of a more suitable one than this, a record that seems to be screaming in every direction how healthy The Kiss That Took A Trip is today, by means of songs that might reach the most diverse audiences. 12 songs that feel like 12 potential singles, each one of them a valid starting point for a next album. A chocolate box of options for the future.

The Kiss That Took A Trip - Velvet wall

let them know they're on your mind

Cavetown - let them know they're on your mind (acoustic)

Aesthetic (More Like Ass - Pathetic)

converto.io

Boys Will Be Bugs - Cavetown

soundcloud pro makes me wanna cry here's a bootleg

Lipstick Covered Magnet - The Front Bottoms

Nails Like God - McCafferty

Animal Kingdom: Sandy

Cavetown - Juliet

unreleased demos

thank god

Montgomery Ricky

Line Without a Hook

Virtual (i.e., fake) record label for The Kiss That Took A Trip and Victorian Bug:

www.thekissthattookatrip.com
www.victorianbug.com

The Kiss That Took A Trip - Velvet wall

Cheap and Pretentious Records

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