Killer Tofu Records

KTR036

The Littlest Viking is basically the musical lovechild of Don Caballero, Piglet, American Football, Braid, and Hot Snakes. Tambourines, ridiculous drum fills, wicked tapping, hoarse shouting, noise freakouts, salsa beats and the occasional Prince sample are a staple of any TLV live show.

300 grey with white swirl vinyl, co-release with Farewell My Little Viking Records

1. The Beastie Boys are the Epitome of White Mediocrity 03:24
2. Civil War Lesbian Realness 03:00

https://killertofurecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-littlest-viking

REVIEWS:
"The Littlest Viking is a band with a focus on combining the immediacy of punk music with the nuances of math-rock and the melodies of emo. Their sound owes to pioneers such as Piglet, Don Caballero, as well as American Football (which for some reason, I keep trying to spell as “American Foodball” overtime I have to type that band’s name - the “T” and “D” keys aren’t even that close, what’s up with that?).

Hailing from Whittier, California, the group recently released a brand new single titled “The Beastie Boys Are the Epitome of White Mediocrity,” featured on a new 7” release alongside “Civil War Lesbian Realness” available on Killer Tofu Records. The track kicks off with some expressive tapping sounds, going for a rich and textured feel. However, where most bands in this genre would prefer a Fender-y clean tone, they go for a more aggressive tone, with fast-paced drumming and overdriven chords to create a big wall of sound. The vocals are melodic and understated, balancing the guitar tones to perfection and creating a cool mood. I really love how the drumming is opening up at about 57 seconds into the song with those 16th hi-hat sections, almost makes me think of some earlier Bloc Party stuff! The song has different sections, which give it a lot more diversity, almost in a progressive way but without that air of pretentiousness that is sadly often associated with progressive bands. The bridge section is so anthemic, with a simple, yet iconic melodic line that reminds me of groups like Arcade Fire.

All in all, this song has a pleasant tone and a dynamic arrangement that highlights the band’s versatility and compositional skills!

Recommended if you like: Maps & Atlases, Dead Rituals, Tera Melos, Don Caballeros, Minus The Bear."
- The Bandcamp Diaries
https://thebandcampdiaries.com/post/188876586307/the-littlest-viking-the-beastie-boys-are-the

"Fluid guitar lines kick this track off in engaging form, with vocal emergence at 23 seconds in playing seamlessly. Rhythmic pause at 01:08 does well to emphasize the ensuing guitar lines and bustling bass line. The brisk, math-rock-approaching aesthetic plays convincingly throughout. The waves of guitar distortion at 01:40 is another nice dose of variety, especially as the anthemic wordless backing vocals emerge. I enjoy how this track manages to navigate numerous melodic and structural twists and turns in the 03:24 runtime. Nice work!"
- Mike Mineo, ObscureSound

"Civil War Lesbian Realness by two man prog rockers / math rock purveyors, The Littlest Viking, aka Ruben Jesse Cortez on guitar and Christopher Patrick Gregory on drums (with David Benitez lending bass, synth and vocals on this project) is a densely packed rocker and as kick ass as the musical breaks are, it has a surprisingly catchy soaring chorus. I say surprisingly because sometimes math rock / prog rock songs maximize the wound up musical interplay and sacrifice melody but not here. Cortez's vocal aesthetic is strident, passionate and perfectly broken. That being said, the musical interplay does make your jaw drop. Gregory's drum work (impressive kick drum flourishes) are incredibly tight but not over used and he knows how to service the song shifting drum patterns on the verses and digging in fills in the right places while never stepping over the melody. Similarly, Cortez, mirrors the sort of sad vocal melodies with guitar lines. Bass lines provided by David Benitez create a full bottom edge. All this slight breathing room works because when the musical mayhem happens it is tumultuously emotional and, oh so, exquisitely precise. You find yourself coming back to this track to hear those heavy tight intricacies and wish they lasted a bit longer."
- Robb Donker, American Pancake
https://www.americanpancake.com/2019/11/the-littlest-vikings-prog-math-rock.html