Velvet Crush: A Single Odessey


The Velvet Crush was one of the better pop bands of the early 90s. Though they did find success--and even inspired a cultish following in some circles--they quickly faded to obscurity, their albums languishing in the land of the out-of-print.

If you're not acquainted with Velvet Crush, now's your chance. They've re-released their seminal In The Presence of Greatness, the album that made them almost famous. Floating fourth member Matthew Sweet helmed the album's production, and fans of Sweet's Brian Wilson-esque ear for tuneful pop will enjoy the work of Velvet Crush.

A Single Odessey, though, is perhaps the more interesting of the two releases on the band's own Action Musik label. Odessey assembles all of the band's non-LP singles, as well as some EP tracks and a single previously unreleased track, making an album that serves as a good introduction to Velvet virgins and an essential addition for Crush fans.

Most of the songs--and all of the best ones--come from the first half of the 1990s. The album's first track, "If Not True," is taken from an early 45 of the band. Yep, they were good from the get-go. Paul Chastain (vocals/bass), Ric Menck (percussion) and Jeffrey Underhill (guitar) didn't evolve their sound as much as they fine-tuned it through the years.

"She Cracked" is a straight-ahead supercharger (by pop standards), while "Gentle Breeze" is...well, a gentle breeze by comparison. They are both stand-out tracks. As with most of their work, you can almost hear the energy crackle, but it never comes as a sacrifice to the harmonies and hooks.

The best sing-along on the album is 1994's "Mr. Spaceman." What could have been a tossed-off gimmick is instead a signature song, featuring Chastain at his playful best (praying for alien abduction).

A Single Odessey doesn't require digestion. Sure, the hooks will sink in deeper the more times you listen to it, but you know what you're getting from the first listen. This is smart music, reminiscient of a time when "pop" wasn't burdened with such negative connotations.

The one previously unreleased track, "Elevator Operator," is by no means a revelation, but will probably be worth the price of admission for diehards. For everyone else, In The Presence of Greatness also serves as a good primer, but A Single Odessey is more effective because its selections span the band's ten year career.

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