David Vandervelde Albums (2)
'Waiting for the Sunrise'
Release Date 1/1/2008
Tracks 10
Label Secretly Canadian
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
David Vandervelde's second album, Waiting for the Sunrise, takes a drastic turn away from the lo-fidelity, high-energy romp of his debut and steers a course for the middle of the classic rock road. Vandervelde has gone from presenting himself as a T. Rexy troubadour to a beardy, laid-back rocker who happily channels Neil Young at every opportunity. True, there are still some sonic oddities and tricks sprinkled across the album, but for the most part any track from Waiting for the Sunrise could be played back to back with any track by the Wallflowers or Band of Horses and they would sound perfectly in tune. Instead of wired and energetic tunes and elfin vocals, the scene is laid-back and Stonesy, and rather than drenching the songs in a cavernous echo that would turn everything into a poor man's Spector Wall of Sound, there are smooth arrangements with Hammond organs and vocal harmonies that would make CS&N nod in agreement. There are plenty of pleasant tunes and you have to credit Vandervelde for borrowing Neil's guitar tone and style rather than his vocal tics, like most of Young's acolytes are prone to do. And on "Cryin' Like the Rain," the vocals are pleasurably high-pitched while the guitars have some buzz and solid-state bite as opposed to their usual state of woody richness. Listening back to The Moonstation House Band, you can hear the seeds of Vandervelde's transformation into a classic rocker. There were pianos, ballads, and strings, and a strong sense that he was a rock & roll traditionalist below the iffy fidelity. ~ Tim Sendra, All Music Guide
'The Moonstation House Band'
Release Date 1/22/2007
Tracks 8
Label Secretly Canadian
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Chicago native David Vandervelde obviously likes doing things his way -- why else would he play almost every single instrument heard on his full-length debut, 2007's The Moonstation House Band? While whirring electronics play a significant role in the proceedings, Vandervelde's Marc Bolan-esque vocals add an interesting spin on the whole one-man-band angle. A modern day T. Rex would be a fitting description overall, especially on the album-opening rocker, "Nothin' No," as well as the spacey ballad, "Feet of a Liar" (which sounds straight off of Tanx). Elsewhere, "Jacket" shows that Vandervelde has a pop sweet tooth, while he puts on his boogie woogie shoes for "Wisdom from a Tree." Marc Bolan reincarnated? It comes pretty darn close on The Moonstation House Band. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
