Album Reviews |

The Velvet Hearts



Into The World 6 ( 2008 )
Disappearing Boy / Talk / Build One For Me / Soul Sister / Serotonin / Be There Anyway / Mary Anne / Broken / History Repeating / Into The World / Roadhouse

It tells me in the PR blurb that The Velvet Hearts managed 300,000 hits in just six weeks on YouTube, notching up a top 100 YouTube placing in the process and gathering such disparte famous names as Gwen Stefani and Gorillaz to their subcribers list. 'Into The World' was recorded by Mark Pastoria in Motown and reminds this listener of a slightly more produced Paul Weller, if such a thing is possible. That's not designed entirely as a bad comment by the way - I like Paul Weller and such a comparison inevitably means The Velvet Hearts create emotional, yearning and, above all - proper songs. 'Roadhouse' is great, less produced than some of the other tracks and incorporating several lovely psychedelic touches in the background. 'Broken' slips Velvet Hearts effortlessly into piano/ballad/acoustic mode. I still have nagging doubts, however accomplished 'Broken' is - i mean, the string section is perfect. These doubts are just.... well, if you're going to base yourself on Paul Weller, why not The Jam or even Style Council, rather than a slightly dull Paul Weller solo LP? Shades of Ocean Colour Scene also invariably pop into my brain whilst listening to this worthy, noble - yet ultimately faintly dull LP, 'Into The World'.

'Talk' is a highlight, placing The Velvet Hearts more in a Pearl Jam sort of mode and suddenly it becomes apparent why they've attracted attention to themselves in the US. Good playing abounds and a little crunch that's good to hear. The best intro on the album award goes to 'Mary Anne' with its urgent guitar and building anticipation leading into loud thumping drums and eventually, something of an enjoyable rocker. It's fair to say I prefer these guys when they inject more energy into proceedings. Too many of the tunes fail to raise the temperature. Anyway, check out the myspace page if you want to. I wonder how many of those 300,000 went onto buy the album? Just interested really now that everyone and his dog has a myspace page how effective it is anymore?

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