Artist To Watch: David Vandervelde
A handful of bloggers picked up on this 22-year-old Chicagoan when he released the single "Jacket" as a welcome-to-my-world ice breaker, but there will be much more movement around the kid and his music in '07. Chalk that up to a virtually self-recorded, kick ass album; a throw-back, Ziggy-era Bowie, T. Rex-y, ELO-loving, glamified sound; a theatrical vocal, poised beyond its years (part Bowie part Bolan says his one-sheet, presumptuous if it wasn't spot-on); all while using the same gear that appeared on Wilco's Yankee Foxtrot Hotel (and recorded in Jay Bennett's studio ta boot).
Fun facts make for good press, but when we picked his debut LP The Moonstation House Band out of a pile of promos late last year, we couldn't believe how full-on '70s revival it was, let alone how fully realized. Here's the premiere of the swirling, double-tracked vocal rocker that opens the album. We love it.
David Vandervelde - "Nothin' No" (MP3)
And here's a refresher from David's welcome kit, another quality cut from his debut:
David Vandervelde - "Jacket" (MP3)
He's the one in the middle.
More cool shit about the record? Vandervelde plays almost all the instrumental parts, aside from Bennett's basslines on these two tracks. But David can't take credit for arranging the strings. That's courtesy of David Campbell, whose past credits include arrangements for Elton John, Leonard Cohen, and his son, Beck -- and the weeping violins make "Corduroy Blues" something special. Our other fave track is "Feet Of A Liar," which you can grab (among others) from his session with Daytrotter. And we admit, we're as impressed as the next blog when it comes to young gun artists ... but when they sound more like icons of decades past -- rather than the fads of last year -- we can't help but get gushy.
The Moonstation House Band is out 1/23/07 on Secretly Canadian. Get it.
Posted at 11:03 AM in Band To Watch, MP3
Tags: David Vandervelde
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let me be the first to note that there are 2 people in the middle, being a pic of an even number of people
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May i be the first to note the goodness of these mp3s, thanks for the recommendation!
As someone who finds Banhart slightly lacking with the 'tunes', it was really good to hear something of a similar elk, but more betterer.
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love it.
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I'm guessing he's the dude that DOESN'T look like Ron Jeremy. Just a guess. Good couple of tracks, too.
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Love the tracks ! Thanks Stereogum !
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He's the one in the middle with the beard, shiny silver beer can and, as the post alluded to, a seriously excellent new record.
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Yes, he is the non-Ron Jeremy dude.
We could've used a better photo, noted.
But this is more mysterious!
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Hallo there,
I was just googling myself and I stumbled across this web-page.
I would just like to say that everyone apart from me is a non-Ron Jeremy dude.
Regards,
Big Ron.
PS Good songs, man.
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finally, the new Ween four-track demos have leaked!
this is good shite
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uh. or you could say this sounds like Supergrass. stop the hype machine before we get another Band of Horses or Tapes n' Tapes. jesus.
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he also has some songs on daytrotter. that's how i found out about him.
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What hype?
This chap has less than 2000 friends on myspace, this isn't bloody hype...
hy·per·bo·le (h-pûrb-l)
n.
A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect
This ain't hype, this is interest in something interesting and goodsome.
And it sounds nowt like Supergrass, deafy.
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Ahh, that's right! Thanks for reminding, matt b.
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yeah, this shit sounds like Supergrass. and since when did one's number of MeinSpace friends dictate whether or not one was "hyped?"
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"nothing, no" is excellent :)
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This kid is a good guy, along with his backing band. Straight up Rock and Roll. No bullshit no pretension.
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Goblin King--
It's something of a similar "ilk", not of a similar "elk", dude. You're making me laugh, though--I like your version better.
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hahaha, by way of talked up on blogs bands this guys not bad i guess...if that says anything? in any case it says no more than this lyrics, fucking dull ! "didn't someone tell you it's raining/because you forgot your jacket on the second floor/you might have a mind like a fortune teller/ but you never know what love is for" oooooooooooh it's the love-jacket analogy...you know son, love is a lot like a jacket potato...
i don't know, i don't buy this guy...can i just ask why it seems to be the soul purpose of blogs to be either the first to unearth a band (and subsequently let you KNOW about it, oooh yeeeah) or just to simply hype them out of the universe...
"when they sound more like ICONS of decades past... we can't help but get gushy."
how does he sound like an icon? i don't get it. i'm not going to stoop to dictionary definitions (thanks Mr. hy·per·bo·le (h-pûrb-l)n.) to back my case, i just want to know...i think that's one of the most over-used terms in our society ICON or ICONIC, it's boring, it doesn't really explain anything,it's a nothing word, empty, a nutshell...in a nutshell.
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hahaha, by way of talked up on blogs bands this guys not bad i guess...if that says anything? in any case it says no more than this lyrics, fucking dull ! "didn't someone tell you it's raining/because you forgot your jacket on the second floor/you might have a mind like a fortune teller/ but you never know what love is for" oooooooooooh it's the love-jacket analogy...you know son, love is a lot like a jacket potato...
i don't know, i don't buy this guy...can i just ask why it seems to be the soul purpose of blogs to be either the first to unearth a band (and subsequently let you KNOW about it, oooh yeeeah) or just to simply hype them out of the universe...
"when they sound more like ICONS of decades past... we can't help but get gushy."
how does he sound like an icon? i don't get it. i'm not going to stoop to dictionary definitions (thanks Mr. hy·per·bo·le (h-pûrb-l)n.) to back my case, i just want to know...i think that's one of the most over-used terms in our society ICON or ICONIC, it's boring, it doesn't really explain anything,it's a nothing word, empty, a nutshell...in a nutshell.
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hahaha, by way of talked up on blogs bands this guys not bad i guess...if that says anything? in any case it says no more than this lyrics, fucking dull ! "didn't someone tell you it's raining/because you forgot your jacket on the second floor/you might have a mind like a fortune teller/ but you never know what love is for" oooooooooooh it's the love-jacket analogy...you know son, love is a lot like a jacket potato...
i don't know, i don't buy this guy...can i just ask why it seems to be the soul purpose of blogs to be either the first to unearth a band (and subsequently let you KNOW about it, oooh yeeeah) or just to simply hype them out of the universe...
"when they sound more like ICONS of decades past... we can't help but get gushy."
how does he sound like an icon? i don't get it. i'm not going to stoop to dictionary definitions (thanks Mr. hy·per·bo·le (h-pûrb-l)n.) to back my case, i just want to know...i think that's one of the most over-used terms in our society ICON or ICONIC, it's boring, it doesn't really explain anything,it's a nothing word, empty, a nutshell...in a nutshell.
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This guy rocks. He does sound Bowie-ish, but with an average sounding indie band(which is apparently all him) behind him instead of a lunar orchestra. This is good stuff, I hope he gets more hype.
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"fully realized" lol
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Yea, I'll be the second to note that there are 6 people in the pic, so there is no middle person. Boy oh boy.
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was live on KEXP in seattle today...kexp.org at noon...you can listen to it on the website
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I work at a college radio station and randomly picked this CD out of our new stuff to play. I really like it, and I'm a big hater of hype, btw.
It sounds like Supergrass almost exclusively in the vocals, and I'm guessing that's because Gaz sings kinda like Marc Bolan. The music is quite different, other than both being slightly psych/Britpoppy. Supergrass is much more rock than Vandervelde is. This album is clearly more T. Rex than Supergrass.
Ya know, if you don't like it, don't listen. You don't have to agree with every blog.
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