THE VERONICA SPEEDWELL
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH
If the name sounds familiar, that's because this band has been a part of the Grand Rapids local scene for several years, though you'd hardly recognize them nowadays. What was once a female fronted PJ Harvey-ish alt-rock quartet has morphed into a full on male oriented rock band complete with twin guitar attack and a well-crafted rhythm section. The only holdover from the original lineup is guitarist/songwriter Mike Glover. Darin Christian sings and plays guitar this time around; Sam Hutchinson drums and Rodney Johnson plays bass. The band recently completed a self-titled five song E.P. recorded in Chicago by ex-Wilco instrumentalist Jay Bennett. What emerges is a good indication of what can be expected from their live show. "Path Of Cinders" is a strong opening number, a long instrumental that features percussive accompaniment by Bennett amidst a rolling and swelling groove. The Speedwell is unlike most standard rock bands in that they aren't afraid to withhold vocals and allow a song to develop musically. The last track on the disc, "Down With The Ship" is another expansive instrumental - bolstered by a surprisingly funky drum break. This is a standout effort for a local band - a vast improvement from their earlier work, and one that could indeed lead the Speedwell out of Grand Rapids and on to something bigger. Join the band Thursday, March 14 at the Intersection in Eastown for the CD Release Party, along with Fred Thompson Trio and the also CD release-partying Moto.
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