“Can’t Help It” is exactly what you’d expect from a scuzzy stoner rock song. Detuned guitars riff low and riff hard (with the exception of a crystalline treble solo midway through), cymbals crash like there’s no tomorrow, and vocalist Wes McDonald doesn’t so much sing into the mic as mumble noncommittally. In other words, it’s everything you could want from the style. Nicely, the video picks up where the audio leaves off, showcasing heavy beards and nonchalant performing over a backdrop and editing job straight out of David Hasselhoff’s playbook. When all is said and done, it’s alternative rock done traditional, which — for many — is alternative rock done right.
“This song is a microcosm of what Vulture Whale does — rock with little frill,” says McDonald. “’Can’t Help It’ addresses the pull mysterious things have over us. No matter what, a black hole is gonna suck you in if you get close enough. You start asking yourself, ‘Where does this wormhole lead? What’s on the other side of this situation? Glory? Misery? A grilled cheese sandwich?’”
“I’m scared, but it’s too late — it’s got its damn tractor beam on me,” he continues. “And there’s no going back. Its eyes are glowing, and it’s moving the ol’ index finger in a come-hither motion, saying, ‘I got something to show you.’ And I gotta go because I gotta know. I can’t help it.”
Vulture Whale‘s Aluminium (note the British spelling, please) was released May 20th on Cornelius Chapel Records.