Velvet
Crush - Stereo Blues
 Artist:
Velvet Crush
Title: Stereo Blues
Catalog#: AMCD109
Price: $12.00  |
Tracks
on this CD: |
| Rusted
Star |
| Do
What You Want |
| Here
It Comes |
| The
Connection |
| Son
Of Ray |
| California
Incline |
| Fall
Awake |
| Want
You Now |
B-Side
Blues |
| Get
Yourself Right |
| Great
To Be Fine |
|
|
In Velvet Crush's
6th proper album (7th I suppose, if you want to include Chastain & Menck's
pre-VC "Hey
Wimpus"), "Stereo
Blues," I've found everything I long for in records these
days. The duo of Paul Chastain (vocals, guitars, bass, pedal
steel, & keyboards) and Ric Menck (drums & guitars) have long
been one of my favorite bands and with "Stereo Blues" - dare
I say it? - I believe they've released my favorite record in
their heralded
discography.
A mix of bristling, muscular pop and downtempo, melancholic melodicism, "Stereo
Blues" delivers the goods from beginning to end. The band offer a diverse palette
of sounds from the pop blast of "Rusted Star" and "Here It Comes" to the hypnotic,
guitar heroics and extended groove of "The Connection" to tender heartache of "Fall
Awake." This is a song cycle that doesn't lean too heavily on one thing, in preference
for providing a little something for everyone.
I have good albums by good pop bands, where that kind of samey-ness tends to
lead me toward skipping forward and back toward a favorite track or two prior
to moving on to a different CD. But that isn't the case here, nor is it to imply
that there aren't songs that leap forward as "single-ready" favorites. There
are a number of gems here that would have me grinding my needle repeatedly into
the groove or as fate would have it - shining laser into etching (if only the
band's devoted Japanese following would show a demand for LPs, I'm sure Action
Musik would love to accommodate. I'll cross my fingers.) This very morning
in fact, I played "Here It Comes" before getting into the shower, hit repeat
after climbing back out (squeaky clean), and then hit the ol' "back" button on
the CD player one more time before shaving. As if that wasn't enough, it was
the first thing I played on the stereo upon arriving here at work as well. Needless
to say I'm hooked.
Adding to the personal relevance of this great record is that Chastain and Menck
have recruited a bunch of longtime friends, former bandmates (and Parasol-affiliated
musicians) to join them in the recording process. Adam
Schmitt recorded most of the CD (what he didn't record was recorded by David
Newton (of Fonda/The Mighty
Lemon Drops) at Rollercoaster
Recording studios in Burbank) and he's at the very top of his game. This
album and the album by The Blackouts that
he just finished stand among Adam's finest production work. A gifted singer and
musician - and another longtime favorite of mine - Adam also plays and sings
throughout the album. Similarly, hearing vocals from Darren Cooper (of the criminally
under-heard Three
Hour Tour) is always transcendent, Bob (Weird
Summer/Logan & Kimbell)
Kimbell's golden voice is like hearing a long lost friend, and Nick
Rudd's guitar strangle has always left me awestruck and is as complementary
here as hearing guys like Tom Verlaine on Luna records or Richard Lloyd and Robert
Quine on Matthew Sweet records. It's perfect, old school pop from Champaign-Urbana's
rich history of music makers. There are more guests throughout, from my beloved
co-worker Roy to
an included photograph from Ali
Smith and each different piece to the personnel puzzle adds one more bit
of personal significance to the outing for me. From hearing Ric conducting the
band in the background between songs, to hearing Nick Rudd's laugh after each
of his contributions, the album give listeners a glimpse into the recording process
and the camaraderie involved in making "Stereo Blues." It's these subtleties
that help invest me, as a voyeuristic listener and fan, even more into the album
by giving me a peek into the band dynamic.
Perhaps it's the approaching solstice or the colors on the CD sleeve that have
me conjuring red sunsets, long shadows, and starcrossed vapor trails in my head,
maybe it's because I know Ric lives in sunny LA and is an important man (ie.
owns a cell phone), but this album will be my soundtrack for the summer of 2004.
Knowing that the CD won't be officially released to the world until August 10th,
I'd hate for any Parasol customers to miss out on hearing these stereo blues
today.
This record comes very highly - urgently, even - recommended for fans of everything
between The Knack and A.C. Newman, The Byrds to Matthew Sweet.
Buy it. Better yet, buy two.
- - - - - - - - - -
a message from Ric Menck:
Folks, there's a new Velvet Crush record called Stereo Blues, and although I'm
probably a little biased, I think it's one of the best things we've ever done.
Adam Schmitt co-produced it with us, and we recorded it in his studio, located
in the warehouse behind the Parasol corporate headquarters in Urbana, Illinois.
The sessions were spread out over a two-year period, and a lot of incredible
musicians came by to play (call Bill at Parasol for an extensive list of their
names and the bands they played in). When we started there were snakes on the
roof and pots and pans all over the floor (to catch the spillage when it rained),
and i remember having to thoroughly clean the bathroom at least once (apparently,
selling records is more important than wiping around the sink every once in awhile).
The intention going in was to make a loud rock'n'roll record similar to the ones
we'd made earlier in our career, yet somehow during the process we also managed
to push the boundaries of what we're capable of stylistically a little further
forward, which is always good when you're trying to stay fresh as an artist.
Paul's lyrics are especially potent. He's had a rough couple of years personally,
and a lot of his pain and frustration got channeled into the music. In fact,
I came up with the name Stereo Blues for the album because I thought it accurately
captured the essence of how Paul was feeling during the writing and recording
process, and because in a very honest way it describes the sort of aural experience
we've always been going for -- something deep, honest and very soulful. In our
campaign to spread the word about this record, we're organizing a tour, our first
in over 6 years. Fortunately, we're doing it with our good friend Matthew Sweet,
not as an opening act, but as a musical interlude in the middle of his set. Luckily,
Matthew will actually be a part of our band, sharing guitar duties with long
time member Peter Phillips while Paul steps up to sing. So, if you come to the
shows you'll get two hours of music, and tons of Matthew's material as well as
ours. It's going to be very exciting. The first dates are booked for Japan at
the end of August. We'll play in Tokyo at the Liquid Room (8/21/04) and Club
Quatro (8/23/04), and also at the Club Quatro in Osaka (8/24/04). In early September
we're playing the Azkena Festival in Spain and doing a very rare club appearance
in London at the Mean Fiddler. We'll do American dates either in the autumn or
early next year (or both), and we'd love to see everyone at the shows!
- - - - - - - - - - -
New album from Paul Chastain and Ric Menck who returned to their adopted home
of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois to record with Adam Schmitt. The mood was right
and friends were nearby. All sorts of guests dropped in for recording including
Darren Cooper (Choo Choo Train/Three Hour Tour/The Stupid Cupids/Artificial Limbs),
Roy Ewing (Braid/Very Secretary/Unbunny), Buddy Judge (The Grays/Aimee Mann),
Bob Kimbell (Weird Summer/Jack Logan & Bob Kimbell), Nick Rudd (Water Between
Continents/Weird Summer/Blown/Angie Heaton/Lonely Trailer/The Big Maybe/Turning
Curious/B-Lovers), and Adam Schmitt (Diamond Star Halo/Elvis Brothers/Pop The
Balloon/The Farmboys). |
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