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Velcro Mary: Attack & Decay
Every once
in a while, people are lucky enough to see past the inanity of first appearances
and get to know something that is obviously sincere and done with heart. Those
looking for lighthearted and shallow three-minute pop songs may as well stop
reading here. But those who are searching for something deeper, something that
grows on you and will have you finding more and more to like with each listen,
may I introduce you to Velcro Mary. Velcro
Mary is the solo recording project of Charlotte, NC native Jason Erb. His
latest, Attack And Decay, is nearly impossible to pigeonhole. It dishes out lo-fi
distorted guitars, hushed vocals, Casio beats and other robotic noises whipped
up with lots of studio magic to create some of the most well, interesting
songs Ive heard in quite a while. Fans of Sparklehorse, +/- or even some
of Becks more experimental songs from his early days are sure to find
something to enjoy. Some songs, like the lead-off You And Your Weakling
Chromosomes and The Width And The Weight, appear simply to set the mood
for the rest of the disc or to show off Erbs skills behind a soundboard.
Karaoke Puss has the sort of ambient space beats that made me both excited
and uncomfortable at the same time. There are, however, a number of very catchy
tunes on the record too: Something In My Eye has a very simple guitar
progression and vocal melody, but I still found myself playing the song over and
over just to hear the chorus one more time. John Candy Cant Sing brings
the vibe in a new direction, as it sounds like a very retro version of what
might be heard in a very chic, indie-rock Parisian discotheque. The mournful
Make It Worse strips down to just an acoustic guitar and Jasons voice
lamenting his sad state, only to admit that the worst could still be on the way.
Finally, the disc ends with Cilla Sleeping, a happy keyboard instrumental
lullaby that serves as a sweet palate cleanser. Attack
and Decay is Velcro
Marys fifth full-length release, and I would love to hear the earlier work in
order observe the progression in songwriting and studio tricks that lead up to
this release. It would also be interesting to see how these songs would be
carried out in a live setting. Please, do yourself a favor and check out some of these tracks and buy the record at Velcro Mary's Official Website.
This album can be purchased at CD Street and VelcroMary.com LEFT OFF THE DIAL's Velcro Mary page About LOTD Contact/Staff Advertise Home All content © LEFT OFF THE DIAL 2001-2005. All rights reserved. |
