Velvet – The Juggernaut / 2006 Self / 12 Tracks / http://www.velvetpop.com / Reviewed 23 August 2006

Velvet is an interesting band, as their general sound changes completely based on the individuals that is singing for them during that specific track. For example, “The Juggernaut” starts off with a very Donnas-sounding track in “This is For You”, while the follow-up track “Winner” sounds as if Velvet came immediately from 1992 with a copy of their just-finished album. When both of the vocalists kick in, the overall sound is different again. For “No One Here”, there are hints of the nineties indie rock band but a theme that more obviously pervades the track is eighties pop, like a blend of Fleetwood Mac and R.E.M. The result is eclectic to say the least and is fun and something that individuals just do not hear much of in the current music scene.

By the time that the title track starts up, the one thing that becomes obvious is that Velvet does not have any one style to use when they are creating tracks for their albums. This can be a good or, more often, can be a bad thing. It is good because the listeners will not get bored with discs like “The Juggernaut”, as each track holds something different. However, having all these different styles present on a disc can be bad due to the fact that the band can never find their own sound (or if they do have it, they don’t show it one the disc). There is little that the tracks on discs like that have with each other, and Velvet skirts that line more than once during “The Juggernaut”.

However, the band is good enough to make each track work on its own even if the songs never work along with each other. Each of the songs on “The Juggernaut” could make it onto a radio station, so Velvet has no problem with getting individuals to like their music. What occurs is that the band needs to come up with a little more tight sound for their next few discs. This move towards a style that is present in each of the songs on a future album is exactly what is needed for the band to reach the next plateau. The band is great, the songs always solid, but this added cohesion is what holds them back from being more famous than they already are. Give this a disc and keep an ear on Velvet.

Top Tracks: Summer Interstate, Winner

Rating: 5.9/10

[JMcQ]