The work-shy beast that resides deep in my soul has often pondered ignoring the usual form and writing reviews consisting of a single word. This tactic would be entirely possible for this album. ‘Pleasant’.
David Vandervelde – Waiting For The Sunrise
www.myspace.com/davidvandervelde secretlycanadian.com
The work-shy beast that resides deep in my soul has often pondered ignoring the usual form and writing reviews consisting of a single word. This tactic would be entirely possible for this album. ‘Pleasant’. The album seems like a road-trip through 1970s Californian soft rock. It is not as bad as it might be, mostly because the man does have keen ear for a melody and is wont to throw in little bits of studio trickery and pyschedelia.
Mostly though the album just floats along. It’s probably perfect for a dinner-party or a family barbecue – nothing to upset your next-door neighbour or your outspoken gran. It might bore the pants off of your strange uncle who never talks to anyone and always looks at you funny, but as he doesn’t talk to you to express his boredom, you don’t have to worry about it.
Everything is in the right place, if the right place is on stage with a Crosby, Stills and Nash tribute act. It is pretty difficult to pick any stand out tracks, as it all turns into one big MOR mush. He does have a decent way with a chorus, but you have to trawl through some pretty ropey verses to get there. He has a good voice, but it is used to trot out somewhat trite lyrics. Seemingly unaware of any musical developments since 1978 he squanders what talent he has on over-long, formulaic and dull material.
Actually my initial response was wrong as there are at least three words to describe this: nice, inoffensive, and bland.
Words: Rover