After months of searching, I have finally found Abe Vigoda's first album, 2006's Sky Route/Star Roof. A well-deserved sigh of relief and a pat on the back. You see, this LP only saw two pressings: the first being 300 copies on grey vinyl, the second 350 copies on black vinyl. That means, as I'm sure most of you calculated, that there are only 650 copies of this album in existence. It is essentially impossible to find a physical copy of this album (especially now that Abe Vigoda are at least mildly popular) and it is rather difficult to find it online (the few links in existence are dead and you cannot even purchase it on iTunes).
As for the album itself, even a casual Abe Vigoda listener will notice how the band has progressed with each subsequent release to a more accessible sound. Whereas their most recent release Reviver is well-produced, dare I say, mainstream-sounding bit of post-punk, Sky Route/Star Roof is a poorly produced (though I suspect at least partially intentional) bit of noise rock obscurity. In fact, the album does not possess nearly as much of that tropical jumpiness later albums are replete with—what I have come to associate with the band with overall.
Juan Velazquez's vocals are buried beneath treble and light distortion, giving his voice an edge that later releases lack. In fact, the guitars are quite trebly as well, so much so that you can barely hear any bass whatsoever. Tracks like "Hilarious Glowing," with its repetitive, jagged guitar riff that nearly sounds out of tune, screechy vocals, and bombastic rhythm are somewhat reminiscent of AIDS Wolf—only somewhat, though, let's not get too wild with our comparisons.
Allow me to gush for a moment: I love this album. In many ways I wish Abe Vigoda was still the band I hear on this album, although I realize that if they were I would probably not even know of them because they would not reach a level of popularity that would carry them far from their home base. Guff.
