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Wednesday, 4 December 2024

Norm Archer - Verb


 
I seem to have been indulging myself across the genres in the November Reviews and Playlists. So it is nice to spend a bit of time back in Power Pop, not that Verb resides fully in that department, but it has to be said that Will Pearce particularly excels in that department.

The UK has become so regional and ordinary music wise over the past couple of years, so it is nice to hear  something from here that isn't just a direct copy of something that has made it recently. Having said that, at times there is a real American 90s vibe here at times.




The album is incredibly well produced and arranged for a home recording. After discovering Will via Listening To This Week, this has been on constant play over the past week and it is a splendid listen. One song in particular grabbed me and that was the Psych Pop of the magnificent Sea Still There.

Power Pop fans will love the joy of the likes of The Hell Of Neighbours, The Weaver, Smells Of The Lamp and Million, repeated listens reveals that is the songs away from that genre that are most interesting and addictive. For instance the 80s Indie Fuzz of the title track.




Then there's the part 70s Pop Rock, part Indie Electric Folk of Sundry Man and the stripped down storytelling of Fatigue. Hot Knives is great Indie, almost anthemic and Pray Impatiently is wonderful Glasgow 80s. As if this wasn't enough, there is a massive surprise as the album closes.

Two 10 minute songs await you. Roaming is gobsmackingly good, starting as Psychedelic and turning into a Classic Rock monster, it is awesome. Wicked Ray is an instrumental, almost a Jam, but absolutely hypnotic. Verb is everything that you would want in an album. It will be high up in the End Of Year Best 100 Albums. It certainly craves a Physical Release.




You can listen to and buy the album here.


https://normarcher.bandcamp.com/album/verb


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