This track so nearly passed me by. I don’t listen to the radio much, I barely watch TV (which ignoring The World Service both so rarely broadcast something of interest), but luckily the night staff at my day job left a music channel running and I happened upon Velvet.
You may already know the arrogant brag of previous single Dominos, a song that glories in splintering hearts. But where Dominos enjoys leaving a trail of human detritus, keeping warmth and love at arms length, Velvet uses those same arms to draw you back in to a wholehearted embrace.
It’s intimate and sentimental in a vague way, but also massive in galactic proportions. Processed beats mislead, and give way to a wave of fuzz that owes more to The Jesus and Mary Chain than to My Bloody Valentine.
It’s a perfectly poised and weighted single of unflinching honesty and brilliance, and the best release to come out of anywhere this side of the new decade. And to think it nearly got buried in my colossal CD collection. Phew!
Release Date 15/02/2010 (4AD)
I started out writing for the Manchester Evening News as a freelance journalist back in 2008. The idea that I would be given free access to music and gigs seemed somehow miraculous to me, and I proceeded to take full advantage of the situation. When the M.E.N. decided to constrict its coverage to only the very biggest bands, Simon Poole approached me with a plan to make sure that all the very talented musicians of this world that pass through and/or live in Manchester would not go unnoticed. As the New Releases editor here at Silent Radio Towers, it remains my proud duty to cast a critical eye over the music and reviews that come my way in a manner that is both supportive and fair. Above all, I strive to write as entertainingly possible. Favourite musicians include the Pixies, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Mercury Rev, Os Mutantes, The Knife, Beach House etc etc. I'm a firm believer that all genres (except nu-metal) contain music of great quality...
