We live in a world in which technologically dependent music genres – electronica, electro-pop, chillwave - reign king in Indie Music Land. But old-fashioned rock ‘n roll, that pure, throaty, blood-pumping stuff that used to get the masses moving back in the day, has gotten lost in the shuffle, playing second-fiddle to heavy synth beats and Vocoder vocals. It’s not that electronically-enhanced music can’t be great, or experimental, or groundbreaking, but sometimes it’s nice to hear something new that isn’t infused with computer sounds.
Enter Love Crushed Velvet. The brainchild of guitarist/songwriter/vocalist A.L.X., the New York-based band is a self-proclaimed “hybrid of classic rock, post-punk and modern rock,” and by golly, it is. The self-titled debut album is a fun, slightly kitschy offering of belting vocals, amped-up guitar hooks, power-chords and with percussion help from Billy Idol back-up drummer Thommy Price. It is, without a doubt, straight up rock and roll.
Love Crushed Velvet opens with “Letter,” a soaring, power-infused track that harbors elements of Bon Jovi’s old-school Eighties days. The band claims that it offers “hook-filled rock” and “Letter” has catchy, pounding guitar beats that do the proclamation justice. It’s a fun tune, lacking in pretension and serving up a good dose of head-banging rhythm.
The album’s second track, “Goodbye Goldblatt,” takes the tone down a notch, slowing the beat and taking on some elements of a classic power ballad. The track’s sound isn’t as sharp as its predecessors, but it’s fairly solid nonetheless, a combination of so-so lyrics with stellar instrumentation.
“Love Crushed Velvet” recalls elements of other modern-day rock bands like Velvet Revolver, kicking up the tempo and packing the song with energetic vocals and fast-paced guitar hooks. It’s a bit too easy to lose A.L.X. in the music, his voice straining to keep up with the oft overbearing instruments, but all in all, it’s an enjoyable little trip.
Love Crushed Velvet varies in quality as the album goes on; tracks like “Willie B” succeed in slowing the music way down, replacing rock rhythm with deeper emotion, while “Bright Summer Day,” the penultimate track, loses some credibility with the repeated chorus line, “I need some sugar.” But for classic rock fans looking for something that’s at once familiar and fresh, it’s worth a listen.
Key Tracks: Letter, Love Crushed Velvet, Willie B
Rebecca Fishbein – MuzikReviews.com Contributor
July 26, 2011
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