Artist: The Verve Pipe
Album: Villains
Released: March 25, 1996
I mentioned in an earlier post that Gin Blossoms might be one of the past generation's most underrated bands. I still find that to be the case, but I also find it to be true of Michigan's very own, The Verve Pipe. In fact, I am honestly amazed at how little attention they receive. If you're a fan of music from this era, you've probably heard their big hit single "The Freshman" many times, but for many that seems to be the extent of their knowledge of The Verve Pipe. And that's a shame... true, "The Freshman" is a good song, but not only is it just one of many, but I don't think it's even close to being their best track.
When discussing Gin Blossoms, I suggested that perhaps they were overshadowed because they offered a more down-to-earth, radio-friendly sound at a time in which many bands were trying to be outlandish, each trying to be more groundbreaking and "different" than the other. But that era came to an end almost as quickly as it arrived, and rock moved a little closer towards the mainstream. Villains, The Verve Pipe's first major label album, seems to have gotten lost in the shuffle while many other bands were trying to capitalize on the post-grunge craze. It's true that their song writing abilities many not have been quite as polished as those of other post-grunge bands that achieved greater success in the mid-1990s, and they certainly didn't do much in terms of sound to distinguish themselves from everyone else.
But just because we look back now on The Verve Pipe as just another late 1990s/early 2000s post-grunge band, that doesn't mean that there aren't some really enjoyable tracks on this album. I have seen a few people compare them to the alternative/jangle/folk rock stylings of R.E.M. I can see that comparison being valid, though The Verve Pipe's sound is probably a little more down-to-earth and mellow, "updated" for the mid-to-late 1990s. Many R.E.M. songs are laid back and fun to listen to; that's not as often the case with The Verve Pipe.
"The Freshman" is an obvious example of that, as it is about the difficulty of going through an abortion. This song was on the radio constantly when I was about 12, and even to this day, the fact that it has been played so much still makes it, in a way, difficult to listen to. Only in the past couple of years, as I have moved away from listening to the radio virtually completely, have I been able to appreciate this song again. I guess we could place this song in the "so overrated, it's underrated" category. "The Freshman" and "Photograph", the latter being the other main hit from this album, are curiously placed right in the middle. "Photograph" was actually their first radio hit, and in some ways I actually like it more than "The Freshman".
This album, at least the first half, is different from so many other albums in that it slowly picks up steam as it moves along. "Barely (if at all)" is an uninspiring way to start the album; it's a decent song, but it doesn't really give the listener a good idea of what the rest of the album will bring. "Drive You Mild" is more laid back and much easier to listen to, as is "Villains", which picks up in intensity as it progresses. The album peaks with tracks 4 & 5. "Reverend Girl" is my favorite; it's the most enjoyable and one of the most well-written songs on the album. "Cup of Tea" and "Myself" aren't far behind; they're a little more intense, but still very enjoyable.
If you've listened to "The Freshman" and "Photograph" (or even just the former) a lot on the radio, it might seem as if the album loses the great flow it had going once you get to these tracks. After these two, "Ominous Man" sets the tone for the rest of the album; it's a very pleasant song to listen to and also a lot calmer than the first half of the album. "Real" is the one exception to this; even though it's nearly two minutes long, it almost serves as an interlude. "Penny is Poison" is similar to "Ominous Man", though I prefer the latter. "Cattle" is probably my least favorite; it's not bad, but like "Barely (if at all)", it doesn't quite draw me all the way in. "Veneer" is a good way to end, though it's a little drawn out.
To summarize, Villains is a really good album, despite the few minor issues I brought up. However, I've found that it's not the type of album I can just pop in and let play when I want something that's upbeat and easy to listen to. It takes some serious effort to listen all the way through, more so than many other rock albums. It's too bad that it has basically been ignored; hopefully over time more rock listeners will discover it.
Track #, Name of Song, Duration, My Rating
1. Barely (if at all) (3:46) - 8/10
2. Drive You Mild (3:02) - 9/10
3. Villains (4:42) - 9/10
4. Reverend Girl (4:28) - 10/10
5. Cup of Tea (4:27) - 10/10
6. Myself (4:48) - 9/10
7. The Freshman (4:29) - 9/10
8. Photograph (4:56) - 10/10
9. Ominous Man (4:21) - 9/10
10. Real (1:53) - 8/10
11. Penny is Poison (3:29) - 8/10
12. Cattle (3:45) - 7/10
13. Veneer (5:34) - 8/10
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