Album Review by EDF
Most groups sound alike and there is no escaping it. I don’t mean that groups go out and intently copy other acts but the nature of rock music limits to what an artist can do. That is where decent lyrics and melody comes to play. No matter how well produced a piece of music is, stripping it down acoustically will highlight the strengths and weaknesses of a song.
Creamy Velour is a daft name for a group but is memorable enough for it to roll off the tongue. This North Carolina four piece can be quite deceiving. An indication is in the band name itself, suggesting a smooth and warm experience. Keeping to an acoustic backdrop, the group have unfairly been compared to Coldplay. One of the key elements to this group will be the lead singer’s Jon Witteveen vocals. Sounding like an offspring of both Jeff Buckley and Bono, there is a familiar quality in those expressive vocals that helps the songs flow.
The album begins with TO LOVE LIKE YOU and is the first example of the Bono like qualities of Witteveen’s vocals. Which is fine, as Witteveen has written most of the lyrics on the album. BLACK CLOUD SCENE is where the late Jeff Buckley’s comes to the mix, aided by an underplayed classic guitar solo by Fran Sandifer. XENOPHOBE is another track that threatens to veer off towards Buckley territory and when you have an intense song like this, comparisons are hard not to make. ENEMY is the bravest thing that you will find amongst these twelve songs with its slowed down pace and distorted vocals. It’s a shame that it is a bit of a dull effort compared to what has gone before.
HEY JESUS puts the album back on track with a plea to the holy one to help the singer out of a tight spot. Not only is this track one of the highlights, they throw in everything from whistling and a harmonised guitar solo. LAST BASTION musically revisits early Tom Petty while the last track, THE HOLLOW is the perfect closing track, highlighting everything that has come before; melody, harmonies and emotion. What more do you want?
