Velvet Crush
Rock Concert
Action Musik
With the present whereabouts of Velvet Crush for the most part unknown, any new product with their imprint on it is good news. Recorded in Chicago during the tour for Teenage Symphonies to God, this 1995 show captures the Crush with extra guitarist Tommy Keene, and rock it does. In fact, perhaps a bit too much, to tell the truth. The band seems intent on guitar overkill, and with drummer Rik Menck propelling them, some of the subtle moments of such songs as “Time Wraps Around You” are lost, which is a shame. The lack of any harmony vocals is off-putting as well, since in the studio, Menck and Paul Chastain create truly memorable vocal moments. Still, song by song, Velvet Crush is (was? Will be? Who knows?) one of the better exponents of power pop in the last 20 years, and any chance to hear them is certainly welcome.
Action Musik, http://www.parasol.com/actionmusik
