Pop-rock is a genre that is increasingly at risk of becoming over-saturated. As a handful of bands become more and more deservingly successful, recently it seems as though there’s a fair amount of bandwagon-hopping occurring. This could, unfortunately, lead to watering down a genre that is brilliant when it’s at its best and end up taking away from those that have either perfected their craft, or those that still have huge potential. Therefore, when a band like Verses put out their debut album it could go one of two ways: it could join the ranks of those positively contributing to the pop-rock genre or those that are unwittingly diluting it.
Fortunately, Verses’ debut album, ‘Feel It Faster’, is an admirable addition. They are a band that have been plugging away for a considerable amount of time prior to the release of their full length debut. This lengthy period of solid hard work is of huge benefit to the album. It has helped them become acutely aware of the scene around them and of what exactly a good, British, pop-rock album consists of in 2014.
‘Feel It Faster’ is a wonderfully accessible album. The solid musicianship is an indication of a well-toured band, which gives Verses a luxurious foundation on which to build their songs. This is also a nice hint that the songs will hopefully come alive in the live environment. Choruses like ‘At The Roadside’ and ‘Live In The Sky’ are ready-made to be sung along to. The lyrics that sit atop these melodies concern themselves largely with trials and tribulations of youth. It becomes very apparent that the years the band have spent touring have forced them to learn some difficult lessons, the hard way. Frontman Jason Danzelman takes these hard learnt lessons and harnesses positivity. He deals with topics that are commonplace in everyone’s lives, such as relationship issues, career prospects and nostalgic regret. It’s the optimistic tone that Danzelman approaches these everyday worries that makes the album shine. There’s no moaning on this uplifting album. This lack of sulking lends itself perfectly with the brightness of the instrumentation. It’s a refreshing perspective on what is at risk of becoming a dreary genre. A sterling effort from the Brighton boys.
JACK GLASSCOCK