WET VELVET
The Spaces Between
A PDX Local artist with some extremely cool influences, this album really made me feel good, I was smiling like a fool through some of my favorite sections, particularly later in the album once I became accustomed to the sound. The more electronic sections get it just right with screaming noise and synths, but they also keep that gothic, eerie quality of vocals that just drone and lull you in. I’ve heard this band live and while I prefer some of the songs I’ve heard live, the recorded songs are extremely fun and still in the same spirit (Though they really lose out from the lack of strings!)
overall
i know the lyrics aren’t as important to this style of music but i wish they were more available! They don’t appear to be included in even the bandcamp version of the album!
listened a little too loud, theres that tinitus! maybe thats why the last song was grating? I should give it a relisten soon!
disappointed one song i really really liked was not present on this album, wonder if its on an upcoming one ? it has really fun little bits and is like sarcastically cheery in one section but i dont know it!
links
I recorded my thoughts listening to each song below, be warned these are just my notes but maybe they’ll give some kind of insight or spur you to actually listening to this album, because its really very good.
tunnel dreams
great bass and drums wow, the bass is fun and synth-y guitar is crunchy, vocals are spacey, sounds very resonant, lots of feedback-type sounds! I really like this vocal performance. vocal harmonies are really cool. Evanescence who cool guitar that is not at all overwhelming but can shine in the spotlight
fun transistion around 2:15, like this is suddenly a very different genre instead of gothic post punk stuff it gets. Electronica, house, whatever you’d like to call it :)
ending made me smile
Rusted
leaning into that electronica sound w the synth drums and more fx on the vocals, really enjoy the transition from prev song oh my GOD these are just noises 130 and then the come back in at 140 aaaa sounds of an awful robotic nightmare (sexual) can not understand any of the lyrics (not super important here i think, i get Vibes) 253 chord before transition is really good and then trescillo rhythm in the full band is great. the slop in the guitar during the chorus sections is really good, feels v intentional esp with the electronic drums. outro is fun, little tiny chord stabs on piano and some fun spring reverb
fiorecer en silencio
(something in silence? I dont speak spanish ill add a translation later) piano is so fun, the drums made me smile right at the beginning of this vocals are more classical in style, which works really well w the gothic kinda sound feels like theres a lot going on and kind of got that halloween spooky vibes (harmonic minor when) guitar is SO fun and all of it reminds me of sousxie and similar. lots of repeating phrases that are cool, counter melodies between guitar and piano and then guitar and bass and piano all in sync for the chorus section kicks ass lyrics are much more legible sounding but. i dont speak this language so that kind of kills it
oooo bridge section is cool, punky very simple chords i biii i vii ? maybe?
abundance
very natural transition from prev, more of those fun drums, now with wet drippy sounds and a fun organ sound synth. guitar feels very natural here too, i wonder why this guitar fits os well with that specific crunchy tone. lots of sweeping through chords instead of playing them. a little stereo heterophony!! sounds really really cool just before 150, love love love the guitar slop here again its soooo fuzzy
BASS hello here is everyone. synthy sounds are absent so far but it feels like theyre coming, guitar and drums and a specific synth sound are synced in a really cool way. whatever that noise drum is is really good
little flemenco style transistions with the guitar? guitar solo is really fun, i like the chromatic steps up just around 355. clearly the guitarist feels comfortable in this genre
i feel like i could becom eso completely lost in the space of this song
the little reprise in the end is really good, hate to say it reminds me of the arctic monkeys but thats what those little short rhythmic stabs are giving me even though the style is totally different (early cool arctic monkeys)
i like the outro, noisey and loud
sheer
oh this is. LOUD noise i love the filtering glitchy fucked guitar part bass is warm and tone rolled down just enough to blend but still have that fun bite to accentuate the rhythm “i can feel you” and then the most weird little guitar rhythms but i trust this album at this point and i think its just going to keep going and its gonna feel sooo cool lots of chromatic stuff goin on here i bii i bii chord progression? that rules i would really love more stereo effects going on here like, even some hard panning oh that guitar part is really tight before 245, rhythmically NOISE NOISE NOISE YEAH I forgot about it, what a good time to bring it back. i am listening to that and feeling it so hard, it fits perfect and its so rewarding. Still glitchy bits and dynamics in the noise
guitar solo-ey bit is not too flashy, bass keeps well and fits the tone really really well. drums are not too prominent but got a lot of groove here drums cut, interesting choice to continue bass but its working for me, little spurts of guitar to outro wow that. was really good. i think my fave song on the album
eastern shores
really going for those spacey phaser sounds in this intro. Theres the dance beat wooo :333 its not a phaser its an envelope filter and it kicks ass, actually drums are a teeny bit harsh here? as soon as the more high energy section comes in its great though, maybe fatigue from listening through the whole album vocals are really pretty here oh bitcruched bass, a little out of tune, love the octave jumps suddenly we are in a sexy video game about vampires. Or a nightclub full of trannies either way. i am a little less interested suddenly, rhythms are not as fun as the other songs after the bass bit and i just am not particularly loving it but
bass is back and even more fun, love that resonant synth pad sound. there could be more here, the cowbellish clicky sound in the drums is a little grating ? i feel like the harmonic elements could be a little louder but oh wow those vocals and the resonance immediately coming on with the very synthy resonant guitar they are so pretty together. oooo sounds, impressive range. guitar is just goin wild and i love it. walking down now yeah thats what i wanted! rhythm is really good, off beat stabs in that awful distorted nightmare synthy sounds and the bass jsut taking off, the little syncopated bass parts rule. not my favorite song but some of my favorite parts with the best payoff!