Customer Reviews

Pop Smear

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Pop Smear is Verve Pipe's best album! Whatever they had back then, I hope they rekindle it again. I was getting my grad degree from Central Michigan University when they came to our campus to promote this album. They gave such an outstanding performance, I bought the CD on the way out. I have been listening to it since, and that was 8 years ago!

I bought this CD the day it was released in 1993. I'd never heard any music by The Verve Pipe before, but I heard they were good.

Two hours later, I was in love with their music and went back to the store to buy the band's other CD.

Ever since, "Pop Smear" has probably been listened to a thousand times. Even know, over 5 years later, it still rarely leaves my car (where I listen to CD's most often).

This CD is great from beginning to end, and while it wasn't produced and released on a major label, it blows away their major label release in my opinion.

If you liked "The Freshmen", then you need to buy this album. If you didn't like it, I suggest you listen to a few of the audio tracks on this CD, because it's different. Trust me on this one.

I was a Verve Pipe fan for years before this album was released. I went to the album release party and had one of the most memorable concert experiences I can remember.

They had reels and reels of black and white footage of odd things being played forward and back on the screen above them during the concert that led to a very surreal concert experience. They are true artists and put on an ungodly concert that night.

As far as the album goes I would say it is one notch below 'Villians' or 'I've Suffered a Head Injury' but is still great. "Bullies on Vacation" finally made it on this album but it was written far before it finally was recorded. It is a great song, but you can hear that it is Brian in his earlier writing years.

"Senator Speak" is Brian critiquing pop culture. It is a great song and talks much of what politics have become.

"What you wanted" was a song that was timely for me. Breaking up is never easy to do - but when you have a song like this to play on a constant loop, it somehow makes it better. One of thier best songs both vocally and lyrically.

"Spoonful of Sugar" is my pick for best song on this album. Worth the cost of entry for the entire album.

TF

This album is just fantastic. When this album came out in '93, it really got me into music. Many do not know that The Freshman was written before this album even came out, let alone Villians and even then it took almost a year for the album to get any good pub.

Great song writing by Brian Vander Ark, vocal harmony and instrumentation is what make this album excellent. Out Like a Lamb is my favorite song ever and you can't go wrong with any song on here.

I've been able to meet Mr. Vander Ark and he is one of the nicest and humblest people I've ever met. If you don't have this in your collection, you should.

Personally, I go with Villains, but for me the three albums - I've Suffered A Head Injury, Pop Smear, and Villains - are like a boxed set, and I can't imagine not having any one of them.

Pop Smear was the fourth Verve Pipe CD I bought, following Underneath, Villains, then the self titled from 1999. Having read several fantastic reviews, I eagerly awaited the arrival of the Cd at Borders. I remebr when I first put it into the computer while online, I wasn't struck by the first 3 songs, which surprised me. But as Honest rolled through with its unique drums and bongo like sounds in the beginning, I was hooked. After several listens, I now know this is a superb CD, perhpas their best. It is incredibly original, a lot different than the groups later cds. It mixes all sorts of sounds, and you never know what you'll hear next, from trumpets to violins to tropical drums. Whenever I listen to the album, I picture 4 guys just having a good time in a recording session. The opener Pretty for You has an awesome instrument building beginning, lasting for close to a minute, with new instruments joining the scene every few seconds. Spoonful of Sugar is great, hooking the listeners with the lyrics and harmonies. Victoria is great too, with more TVP trademark harmony and Brian Vander Ark delivering an impressive performance. Ill put it this way: Songs one through ten are fantastic, from Brown's The River to vander Arks Bullies on Vacation and the hilarious and catchy, Wanna Be (should I repeat a second verse? Or maybe the third, its becoming absurd.) TVP delivers fantastic sounds, terrific harmonies, and superb... well.. everything on this disk. It's slightly reminecent to the Barenaked Ladies in its cleverness, and dave Mathews in its instrumental quality. This is simply a CD that excites you and takes you for a ride. I loved it.

I discovered these guys a couple of years ago - much later than everyone else. I've had Villians and the self-titled album for a while, and have been hanging out to check out the earlier sound - given that they have developed over the latest albums. I was not disappointed. It took me back to the early 90s and all the stuff that was going on - but the sound is not old. Spoonful of Sugar is full of references to the American culture, which is interesting - even for a New Zealander like me. Honest is probably my favourtie song at the moment, but all the tunes are catchy, and the guys are great songwriters. Senator Speak is not one to listen to when you are tired, it's like a continuous play on words - but funny. Brian Vander Ark has a way with words, and an awesome voice - which, on this album at least, seems to change with every song. Donny Brown is a great songwriter, too. It's great - a sing-a-long experience!

This recording took quite a while to grow on me, and I've found that most of my favorite albums do. I bought this based on hearing "Villains", and I've come to like it just as well, if not a little more.

This album has a breadth of diversity and musical discipline that is sorely lacking with much of today's popular music. The fact that it's only their second release makes it that much more impressive.

The songs range from hard rock, to soft ballads, to funk, and even spanish-style classical guitar textures. There are some of the most beautiful vocal harmonies you'll ever hear, and very intelligent and thoughtful lyrics. For all its variety, Pop Smear remains a very unified work.

A word about Donny Brown in particular: as talented a drummer and backup vocalist as he is, he's also an incredible songwriter. In my opinion, the two standout tracks are 'The River', and 'Is it worth it?', both written by Donny. Fortunately, the rest of the songs on the album are equally strong.

Amazing!

Personally, I go with Villains, but for me the three albums - I've Suffered A Head Injury, Pop Smear, and Villains - are like a boxed set, and I can't imagine not having any one of them.

i have every Verve Pipe album, and this is, in my opinion, their best work. A lot of people are oblivious to The Verve Pipe, but lucky for me, i grew up in the Grand Rapids, MI area where they started out. I think this is a highly underated band. There is not a single bad song on this cd, and there is great guitar work on every song. Bullies on Vacation is my personal favorite off of the cd, but it's not a single song that makes this cd good, it is all of them together. I'd recommend this cd to anyone, it's a must have! You have to buy it to at least hear Brian Vanderark's voice.