Literary references abound on Vonnegut's EP, beginning with the band's moniker and continuing through songs such as "So It Goes" and "Burn Victim," which nod, respectively, to a recurring phrase used throughout Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five and a subplot concerning the World War II-era blaze that destroyed Dresden, Germany. Yet these allusions don't really connect with the sound and style of the CD.
Vocalist/guitarist Ryan Gombeski, drummer/sampler Chris Weaver, guitarist Mike Trujillo and bassist Brian Farnsworth eschew the world-weary humor and sense of the absurd associated with that other Vonnegut in favor of generic rock exemplified by "St. Catherine," whose lyrics feature prosaic imagery such as "I was going crazy" and "You are my angel." The performances are solid throughout, and the concluding "Evacuation," in particular, exhibits rousing aggressiveness. In the end, though, the disc's familiarity prevents it from standing out from the other selections on the shelf.
So it goes, indeed.
