Via - "1,000 MPH"


Via was a Boston band featuring Thalia Zedek (Come, Live Skull, Uzi), Jerry di Rienzo (Cell, Nuclear Theater), James Apt (Six Finger Satellite), Adam Gaynor (Nuclear Theater), and Phil Milstein (Uzi). The band only played two shows in the late 80's, and never had an official release. 

That changes November 14 when Dromedary Records releases an EP of Via's recordings. The first single off of that release, "1,000 MPH," is out now, and it's fantastic. Chris Brokaw has said that Via might be Thalia Zedek's best band, which is quite a statement. After you hear the first two seconds of "1,000 MPH," you might agree. The song is immediately obsession worthy. It's buzzsaw guitars flatten you before the track fully takes off. As great as the vocals and lyrics are, it's the instrumentation that makes "1,000 MPH" so memorable. It's an unhinged and just barely under control blast of noisy indie rock and punk. To me it sounds like if Steve Albini had produced Bleach. If all we get out of Via is this one EP, you certainly won't get any complaints from me, but I'd be lying if I wasn't hoping for a live show or two.

Thalia Zedek says of the unearthed track:

“This may be the first song we wrote. It was inspired by the sensation of sitting on a parked train in a station next to another parked train—thinking the train you’re on has started moving, only to realize it’s actually the other train that’s moving while you’ve been sitting still the whole time. At the time, it must have felt like a metaphor for my life.”

You can listen to "1,000 MPH" below. Via's self-titled EP is due out November 14 on Dromedary Records, and is available for pre-order through Bandcamp.

On Repeat...

The New Limits - "Normal Day"

The Beths - "Mother, Pray for Me"

Brennen Leigh - "Dumpster Diving"