07 December 2011
The TimesJohn Bungey
After the crash and splatter of their first album, the Leeds trio follow up with a 28-minute EP inspired by The X Factor. The precision- tooled guitar-and-sax assault of the opener sounds familiar - Ornette Coleman having a punch-up with Beefheart's Magic Band. But the VDs are painting with subtler colours this time and vocal samples and ominous synth bass fill out the following three-layered, constantly shifting pieces, each named after an X Factor judge. Gary Barlow, in particular, should be proud of the dramas erupting in his name. Something to play his guests at Christmas.