Velvet Crush - Teenage Symphonies to God

Name: Velvet Crush
Album: Teenage Symphonies to God
Year: 1994
Style: Power Pop
Similar Bands: Posies, Redd Kross, Matthew Sweet, Teenage Fanclub, Raspberries, Big Star, Cliff Hillis, Connells, Ass Ponys, Young Guv, Soul Asylum, Fig Dish
"One-Word" Review: Streamlined Power Pop
Based Out Of: Providence, Rhode Island
Label: Sony Music Entertainment, Sony 550 Music, Creation Records, Epic

Tape & Cover

Tape

Teenage Symphonies to God (1994)

1. Hold Me Up 2:58 (single)
2. My Blank Pages 3:29
3. Why Not Your Baby 4:48 (Gene Clark, single)
4. Time Wraps Around You 4:12 (single)
5. Atmosphere 3:52
6. #10 2:22 /
7. Faster Days 4:36 (Stephen Duffy)
8. Something's Gotta Give 5:50 (Matthew Sweet)
9. This Life is Killing Me 2:49 (single)
10. Weird Summer 3:51
11. Star Trip 4:17
12. Keep On Lingerin' 2:29

Album Rating (1-10): 8.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Ric Menck - Drums (Choo Choo Train, Bag-O-Shells, Springfields, Reverbs, Paint Set, Pop the Balloon, Liz Phair, Marianne Faithful, Tyde, Matthew Sweet, Drats!, Big Maybe, Beatnik Filmstars, Eleventh Day Dream, Shoes, Matt Allison, Gigolo Aunts, Duffy, Kyle Vinvent, Aimee Mann, Two Lips, Dan Castellaneta, Andrew Sandocal, Angie Heaton, Mia Doi Todd, Pernice Brothers, Lori Meyers, Novenas, Quarter After, Stupid Cupids, Tommy Keene,  )
• Paul Chastain - Vox, Bass (Choo Choo Train, Bag-O-Shells, Springfields, Nines, Stupid Cupids, Matthew Sweet, New Ruins, Big Maybe, Tomy Keene, Beowulf Umbrella, Eleventh Dream Day, Matt Allison, Duffy, Unbunny, Shalini, Three Hour Tour, Wicked Walls)
• Jeffery Borchardt/Underhill - Guitar (Honeybunch, White Sisters, Springfields)
• Mitch Easter - Producer
• Stephen Duffy - Writer, Harmony Vox (Duran Duran, Lilac Time, Dr. Calculus, Me Me Me, The Devils, Hawks, Subterranean hawks, Vanity Project, Tin Tin, Idha, Saint Etienne, SW9, Robbie Williams, Michele Stodart, Diane Tell, Slingbacks, Nigel Kennedy, many)
• Lloyd Puckitt - Engineer
• Greg Leisz - Pedal Steel Guitar, Dobro (Charles Lloyd, Marvels, Funky Kings, All Star Band, Watkins Family Hour, Works Progress Administration, Rosie Flores, Jack Tempchin, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, Todd Snider, Lucinda Williams, Dwight Yoakam, Syd Straw, k.d. Lang, Marshall Crenshaw, Matthew Sweet, Crash Test Dummies, Shawn Colvin, John Wesley Harding, Roxette, Chuck Prophet, Bash & Pop, Bad Religion, Percy Sledge, Pam Tillis, Julia Fordham, Bruce Cockburn, Joni Mitchell, Grant lee Buffalo, Jayhawks, Ricky Martin, Smashing Pumpkins, Susanna Hoffs, Joe Cocker, Beach Boys, Wilco, Dave Koz, Paula Cole, Fiona Apple, Gillian Welch, Beck, Lincoln, Murmurs, Whiskeytown, Adam Sandler, Vonda Shepard, Sheryl Crow, Randy newman, Tiger Army, Meshell Ndegeocello, Melissa Ethridge, Tonio K, Ventures, Brian McKnight, Wallflowers many
• John Chumbris - Harmony Vox (Glory Fountain, Pinetops, Slickee Boys, Alaska, Jolene, Stratocrusier, Coronet Blue, Holden Richards, Peter Holsapple, Chris Stamey)
• Lynn Blakey - Harmony Vox (Glory Fountain, Holiday, Tres Chicas, Someloves, Pinetops, Caitlin Cary, Greg Hawks, Tremblers, Alejandro Escovedo, Chatham County Line, Evil Wiener, Holden Richards, Two Dollar Pistols, Jeff Hart, American Aquarium, Kenny Roby, Jeffrey Dean Foster, Chris Stamley, Stratocruiser, 
• Mike Denneen - Flute, Strings, Chamberlin (Busload of Nuns, True Confessions, Big Dapper, Pat on the Back, Til' Tuesday, Lord Boy, Walkers, Blackwells, Letters to Cleo, Aimee Mann, Gigolo Aunts, Gus, Expanding Man, Jen Trynin, Talking to Animals, Buddy Judge, Merrie Amsterburg, Shelia Divine, Averi, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Loveless, Senor Hapy, Click Five many)
• Wes Lachot - (Choo Choo Train, Flat Duo Jets, Swamis, Chris Stamey, Flying Pigs, PJ O[Connell, Fan Modine, Matt Barrett, Springfields, Gladhands, Holden Richards, Peter Holsapple, American Aquarium, Stars Explode, Jon Shain)
• Greg Calbi - Mastering
• Scott Litt - Mixing

Unknown-ness: I got this advanced cassette copy for a dollar back in the mid-late 90's, probably based on hearing their named dropped on MTV or read about them in CMJ Music Monthly, but i don't recall what the band sounds like. From the name & cover art, i imagine they are a pop band with garage and psych tendencies, as there is a 60's indie vibe to the art work, and velvet crush could be seen as either a clothing type worn in the psych world, or as appreciation of the Velvet Underground. On the other hand, with the album name mentioning god, and their small label name Creation, they might have underlying (or even outwardly) religious messages in the tracks. Is this Christian Rock?

Album Review: From the first couple of notes, they put out a strong garage power pop band vibe, with a little extra fuzz and feedback to keep one foot in the marketable alternative genre. They prove their versatility, with big Urge Overkill guitars on some tracks and alt-country slide guitar on others. My Blank Pages has a jangley electric hook that sounds like Michael Jackson's "Black or White."

Velvet Crush was formed in the Chicago-Champlain region as Menck & Chastain we friends between other bands and a few projects of their own. They moved to Rhode Island, where Velvet Crush was eventually formed. On the strength of a Teenage Fanclub cover, they found success with their first record, produced by Matthew Sweet, in the UK. This is their second record, first break-through for the US and first of two produced by Mitch Easter (named for Brian Wilson's description of SMiLe). They recorded up through 2004, but continue to perform reunion shows on occasion.

Stand Out Track: This Life is Killing Me, Weird Summer

Links:

Spotify
Wiki

Discogs

Allmusic

Omnivore Recordings - demo/bsides to this record
Trouser Press

Chicago Reader

In the Presence of Greatness Bandcamp

Rate Your Music
Somerville Times 2019 reunion show

Flop - Whenever You're Ready

Name: Flop
Album: Whenever You're Ready
Year: 1993
Style: Alternative
Similar Bands: Birdland, Oasis, Gene, Supergrass
"One-Word" Review: Power-Grunge-Fake-Brit-Pop
Based Out Of: Seattle, Wa
Label: Sony, 550 Music, Epic

Whenever You're Ready - Cover, Liner Pics, Back & CD

Whenever You're Ready - Liner Notes

Whenever You're Ready (1993)

1. A. Wylie 2:30
2. Regrets 3:14
3. Julie Francavilla 2:10
4. Pluto 3:04
5. En Route to the Unified Field Theory 4:20
6. A Fixed Point 2:59
7. A Popular Donkey 0:22
8. The Great Valediction 1:52
9. Mendel's White Trash Laboratory 2:31
10. Z ^2 + C 1:51
11. Sorry Henry Maartens 2:42
12. Night of the Hunter 1:45
13. Port Angeles 2:35
14. Eat 2:04
15. Woolsworth 2:38
16. Pts. 1 & 2 4:08
17. Need Retrograde Orbit 3:55

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:

Nate Johnson - Drums (Pure Joy, The Fastbacks, Squirrels)

Rusty Willoughby -Vox, Guitar (Pure Joy, Llama)

Paul Schurr - Bass Background Vox (The Seers of Bavaria, Best Kissers In The World)

Bill Campbell - Guitar (Chemistry Set)

Martin Rushent - Producer, Mixed, Digi Pre-Master

Chris Swenson - Managment

Laurie Soriano - Legal Rep

Stuart "Big Fat Drums" Meyer - A&R

Chris Hanzsek - Recorded, Digi Pre-Master

Tom Hall - Production Engineering Asst

Larz Nefzger - Production Engineering Asst

Stephen Marcussen - Mastering

Kim "Car Crash" Carter - Cello

Edwin Judah Fotheringham - Cover Art, Concept & Art Direction (the Thrown Ups)

Hammi Hammerschmidt - Photos

Unknown-ness: This is another one of the records I came across in my collection but have no recollection of why or when I got it. Perhaps I listened to a bit of it and then bought it, although there is no sticker from a CD store on it. It has a punched hole in the bar code, so I probably got it real cheap, perhaps after I read about them in some alternative magazine. So from the names of the songs and the imagery, they appear to be a sophisticated, intelligent alternative band from Seattle. I’ve read a bit more about them saying that they are pop punk. Sounds like fun to me, but we shall see if it stands up to the reviews, let alone time.

Album Review: The CD starts off with “A. Wylie,” a powerful alterna-pop guitar driven song featuring whiney pseudo British vocals spread out sparingly against the musical backdrop. The chorus, minus the fuzz and guitar distortion could be like something from the Monkee’s catalogue. “Regrets” is a head-banging alterna-grunge song, sounding a little like a whinier Glenn Tilbrook in the beginning, but the style of his vocal melody over he chorus (and in the first song as well) is very new-British invasion inspired. I’m thinking Birdland, Blur or Oasis, (even through Oasis came around the following year). “Julie Francavilla” is a fast, alterna-punk song that is only by musical pace, the vocals flow over the guitars as if it is a slower song. “Pluto” is a feet dragging grungy distorted waltz. I think I’ve heard this song before, or I kinda remember this song. It is very British in its delivery of the chorus. The music takes center stage in this song, as the vocals sections are sparse and short. A stray cat strut bass line and guitar hook start “En Route to the Unified Field Theory.” But that style is quickly drowned in fuzz for the chorus. And it sounds a bit like Greenday’s “Longview” or “Hitchin a Ride.” “A Fixed Point” is a loopy, vocal distorted, wobble of a pop song. This sounds like if Blur and Suede collided. It is a little more experimental, and strays from the format they have previously displayed. “A Popular Donkey” is a short jaunty instrumental carnival tune that might mimic a cartoon donkey bucking. “The Great Valediction” starts out with a true metal chugging guitar, and then the Monkees style vocals, but slightly raspy, cover over, making the pop melody displace the metal completely. The chorus sounds like a James B-side called “You Will Be Sorry.” But the vocal melody is very catch in this song. And there are bee sound effects for some reason.

“Mendel's White Trash Laboratory” is a straight forward grunge rock song, still with the accent on power guitars. “Z ^2 + C” quietly fades into whiny guitar instrumental existence, and then back out again. “Sorry Henry Maartens” is a slower groove, a standard album filler song that I, as a fan wonder what value the song brings to a live show, other than possibly it might selfishly be fun to play. “Night of the Hunter” is a description of and of going to see the movie of the same name. It is a nice power pop song, with a nice descending melodic chorus. “Port Angeles” is a little more rockabilly punk with the bass line and guitars working very well together. But as the song progresses, the vocals cruise over the music, taking away all the punk tendencies. It has a sudden ending, and progresses into the next song, “Eat,” with full punk force, similar to Social Distortion or Sugar. It builds well in the chorus, and creates anticipation for a chorus & hook that never materializes. “Woolsworth” is an “ooo-ooo-ooo” song; at least those are the first vocals. The harmonized vocals in the chorus give the song the catchiness it needs to be memorable. “Pts. 1 & 2” is a near acoustic nasally vocals slow song. And it is very oasis-like. It features strings in the background along with the acoustic guitar, and hushed drums. About 2 minutes in, part 2 kicks in, and it is rockin’ with driving guitar chords. The lyrical melody of part two’s chorus is sing-song, and very catchy. It feed backs out, and the fuzz guitar winds down. But it spills into the next track, “Need Retrograde Orbit,” which feels a bit like being stranded in space, with the slight echo placed on the vocals and its slow floating tempo. There is even astronaut like communication dialogue in the background. The synthesizer adds to the space effect with its repetitive Close Encounters sound. This composite of sounds repeats throughout the end of the song, lasting nearly 2 minutes and finishes the album in a strip down of the instruments.

Stand Out Track: The Great Valedation

Links:
Wikipedia
Allmusic
Myspace
Rusty's Website
Trouserpress
Seattle Bands
Old Fart At Play fanpage