Van She - V (Album)
» Van She party date changes - July 10, 2008
» Sounds In The Grounds Festival - Manning Bar - Sydney University, NSW - October 18, 2008
» Van She - Forum Theatre, The, NSW - September 19, 2008
Van She could hardly be accused of rushing into the recording their first album. In fact for their dedicated fans, it’s been three long long years or waiting, checking their myspace page for updates, and praying.
Van She burst onto the pop scene in 2005 with their glorious 80’s styled single Kelly and the subsequent self-titled EP. Since then they’ve rationed out material in the form of remixes, videos, singles (Sex City in 2006 and Cat and the Eye in 2007) like well dressed farmers (meaning them) to ravenous starving pigs (meaning us).
While Kelly and the subsequent Van She EP (which included Sex City) rooted the band firmly in the quirky 80’s synth-pop genre, their new LP V goes on to reveal far far more than those early recordings suggested could have been beneath the surface.
In fact, I wouldn’t hesitate to say that the musical growth that band has undertaken as well as the depth both lyrically and musically achieved in this album is nothing short of staggering. To say that I’m prouder than an Olympic Gold winner’s parents that this band is Australian would be the understatement of the year.
The band wrote the bulk the album in Sydney, in early 2007 before shipping off to the UK, where they recorded the album with Jim Abbiss, whose previous credits include the Arctic Monkeys and Massive Attack. From opener Memory Man to closing track Sharp Knife , Van She treat us to luscious production, humorous and mind bending lyrics, and bring-the-house-down singles (like a re-worked version of Kelly, Changes, Cat and the Eye, and current single Strangers).
I know I’ve blabbed on like a schoolgirl over this record, so here are the cold hard facts. V, it’s the new album by Sydney band Van She and it’s good, very good.
V will be released on August 9th and is available though through Modular Records.
