The Verve Pipe
Underneath
On Sale Now
For $13.28

The Verve Pipe have been moving in relative obscurity since they busted into the big time with 1996's platinum seller, Villains and its two hit singles, "Photograph" and "The Freshman." During the past half decade the band has released a follow up LP and a bunch of soundtrack tunes. Cool enough. But here's the really good news... Underneath, the band's latest effort, is by far their strongest sound set. Ever.

With the help of producer Adam Schlessinger (Fountains of Wayne, Ivy) the Pipe has clarified and distilled its sound into eleven sly pop rock gems. Distortion? Yeah, but it's not muddy or gross. And the buzz is backed up with killer riffs like the ones on the album's first single, "Never Let You Down."

When singer Brian Vander Ark charges up the rally cry on the song, "I Want All of You," it’s an exclamation from the perspective of an euphoric young man. The cooing back-up vocals catch your ear, but the naive emotion catches your heart.

These songs mix power and poise, detailing the torment of a broken love affair or a blissful moment with a kickin' backbeat and series of sizzling guitar moves. Proof? "Happiness is..." is possibly the best melodic rock song of the year. Don't wait for the radio, kids. This song alone is worth droppin' a twenty spot.

Of course, you get more than that for your money. The soul stepping "You've Gotta Move On" laments the past and looks forward with loose, spacey atmospheres and words of painful memories. Meanwhile, tracks like "Colorful" (which appears in the movie Rockstar) and "Underneath" try to remain positive even when it hurts.

So that's the deal. Two thumbs up on this one, for sure. This is unequivocally the Verve Pipe's best album yet. As this album picks up steam, expect the Pipe to spark up fans old & new.

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