-=- SHGZ -=-
* Shoegaze * Indie * Post-rock * Grunge * Dream Pop * Ambient * Ethereal *
Artist..: Vervein
Album...: The Weather Inside
GENRE....: Indie
STYLE....: Shoegaze, Post-Rock, Etheral
LABEL....: Scenery SCENE.....: 2015-01-11
BITRATE..: 883 kbps avg STORE.....: 2005-11-10
ENCODER..: FLAC 1.2.1 -8 -V TRACKS....: 12
SIZE.....: 273.2MB SOURCE....: CD
URL..: http://www.vervein.com/
- TRACKLIST
1 Code Orange 3:08
2 Walkie Talkie 3:16
3 Overlook 3:28
4 Conquer 4:34
5 Bully 2:04
6 Ghost Outside 4:24
7 Pelican 3:08
8 Nothing 4:06
9 Rite of Way 4:12
10 Good Luck Charm 4:15
11 I Will Say 4:17
12 Untitled (Not Listed On Back Sleeve) 1:58
Total Playtime: 42:50
Note: Track #12 is not listed on back sleeve. (See links)
http://www.discogs.com/Vervein-The-Weather-Inside-/release/5222357
https://musicbrainz.org/release/be331e4f-8b20-4d66-9610-aeef8fc82607
*
Eschewing the typically cloudy realm of shoegazy dream pop, these ethereal
female vocals instead soar low along the ground, both comforting and ominous
in their proximity. They ride confidently on thick, pummeling guitars
propelled by dynamic percussion, pausing here and there to float on moody
cellos and seep into the precise incisions of razor sharp guitar chimes. Ah
boyùer, girl.
The second album from this four-female San Francisco outfit weaves multiple
layers of emotional release including doubt, fury, melancholy, and hope into
its indie rock. Like Mogwai compressed into pop-song lengths, the level of
weight and depth present here flies in the face of the ôgirl bandö
stereotype. BreedersÆ chugging guitars and spirited defiance surface as well,
balanced by equal measures of Azure Ray-like somber, sparkling pop. Clearly
reflected is the classical training of VerveinÆs two founders, in
compositions that bob, weave, and explode through dark, distorted forests and
lonely, fog-shrouded lakes. Well-executed interplay between the assorted
instrumentation adds to the rich, hearty beauty.
The Weather Inside is stormy, up close, and certainly not predicted in most
mainstream meteorologic models, but IÆd leave the umbrella at home
nonetheless. This kind of exposure is refreshing.
*
Mental meteorology: the shifting patterns of the psyche, between mists,
halcyon days, and downpours, provide an apt name for this newest collection
of songs from SF-based quartet Vervein. The albumÆs cover image, in which
sunlight glimmers through tree branches onto a loose linen weave, is a
perfect indicator of the quartetÆs expressionist sensibility, and the way
their music seeks to convey mood (as distinct from drama).
VerveinÆs members all have a background in classical music as well as many
cumulative years of experience playing in punk bands, so itÆs not surprising
to find them eschewing the defined hooks of pop music in favor of more
complicated rhythms and harmonics. Their debt to bands such as Sonic Youth
and Mazzy Star is obvious; you canÆt hum these songs, and it takes a few
listens to draw out VerveinÆs nuances from the bass-heavy undulations of
their sound. From the beginning of The Weather Inside, the guitar fuzz in the
background of ôCode Orangeö and the sunny drone of the chorus on ôWalkie
Talkie,ö as well as the ricocheting percussion underpinning both songs, makes
it abundantly clear that Vervein likes to rock.
But itÆs in the quieter moments that the foursome really shines. Underneath
the momentum that carries them forward lies a fierce attention to the
dynamics of their instruments and the way their sounds merge and overspread.
Founding members Jess Congdon and Esther Reyes both wield a formidable
guitar, often at the same time, while layering in Rachel StevensonÆs bass and
ReyesÆs cello lines, which add warmth to the cool murmur of their sound. With
a drummer as intent on complex rhythmics as Emily Marsh, the crash and
thunder of the drum set could well overwhelm the other parts, especially in a
live performance, but expert mixing keeps her beats far enough in the
background here that they serve as a focal point for energy without
disrupting the more delicate tones above. Riding the surges is CongdonÆs
smoky alto, often twinned with bassist StevensonÆs eerily similar voice to
emerge in an echoing, silvery stage whisper that floats above the music like
an incantation.
The result is a sound with both the pounding force and the rippling intricacy
of waves breaking on a beach. Its pull is subtle at first, but with
undercurrents this powerful, itÆs easy to be submerged by VerveinÆs Weather
Inside.
-=- SHGZ -=-
P.S.
** Thanks ***
*** BCC FNT IPC SSR ***
*** For Knowing Where The Music Is At ***
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* NuHS we miss you! *
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