Customer Reviews

Resurrection

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As the frontman for the Michigan based band, The Verve Pipe, Brian Vander Ark established himself as one of popular music's most creative and intelligent storytellers. With "Resurrection," his solo acoustic debut, Vander Ark has delivered a collection of contemplative ballads and fast-paced rockers that undeniably catapult him to the top of the singer-songwriter genre. Dealing with themes of failed relationships, broken dreams, and the clouds that inevitably lie behind fame's silver lining, Vander Ark takes the listener on an autobiographical journey rife with honest lyrics and vivid imagery. One does not merely catch a glimpse of Vander Ark's world; rather, he paints pictures that enable you to see the world through his eyes.
In "1229 Sheffield" Vander Ark laments the disappointments and eventual failure of a first marriage--a marriage that by its nature had already taken away the freedoms of young adult life. Vander Ark continues this theme with "And Then You Went Away," which takes you inside the desolate home and heart of a man abandoned by a departed love. "A Million Things" and the albums title track find a more upbeat Vander Ark willing to compromise and search for the elixir to resucitate the passions that make love possible.
Vander Ark delves into the fleeting fame that comes with being a one-hit wonder in the albums strongest single "Written and Erased." When he poses the cautionary question,"Do you want to be famous, want to get a taste, do you want to be written and erased?" it's pretty clear that mainstream success and MTV airplay might not be all it's cracked up to be.
Finally, Vander Ark pays homage to his loyal legions of fans in "To the Front Row Junkies" which closes the album and reveals that his love of music and the happiness it gives people make all the pitfalls worth it. Indeed, Vander Ark has encountered many potholes on his journey, but he steadfastly refuses to get off the road. Buy this album, share it with a friend, see Brian perform live when his neverending tour hits your town--and you will see that this is not the work of a one-hit wonder.
-Adam Butler-

When the leader of a rock band goes solo, it can be expected that he or she will make music which sounds something like their old band. At the same time, they've accumulated a drawerful of ideas that never quite fit into their old group's approach. So we come to Resurrection, the solo debut by Brian Vander Ark, former leader of the Verve Pipe. It's a heady mixture of rockers and more acoustic numbers, an affirmation of Brian's skill as a writer of crafty and catchy tunes. There are songs that will strongly remind the listener of VP (like the title cut), and others which reveal a more personal and intimate style than in the past. The new songs are good ones -- I have found myself humming these tunes days after listening to them.

Singing in a manner slightly reminiscent of Peter Gabriel (especially on "And Then You Went Away"), Mr. Vander Ark gets excellent accompaniment from a supporting band that includes his brother Brad, John Holbrook, Craig Nelson, Scott Stefanski and others. The production and song arrangements are top-notch as well. Most of all, though, Resurrection shines the spotlight on a remarkable songwriting talent, one I'll be continuing to watch in the future.

In an unrelated note, I can't resist sharing this silly thought. What if Verve Records formed a group headed by Brian Vander Ark and Richard Ashcroft (from the Verve)?? It could be called "Post-Verve" or something like that.

An exceptional talent, very down to earth and honest. The world needs more musicians like Brian Vander Ark.

This album is a great blend of acoustical music mixed with wonderful lyrics. I originally heard the third track, "and then you went away" on the local campus radio station. After searching all the stores in the area for the album, I finally grabbed it off Amazon. I do not buy a lot of albums and mostly listen to the radio, but this one is well worth it.

It was once said of Billy Joel that his mass appeal is due to his ability to write songs which can be so personal and individual for so many different people. Each of his songs can conceivably mean something different to every listener. Where Billy Joel has left off, others have risen to the challenge of writing songs that have that similar mass appeal. Brian Vander Ark is such a singer and his album, Resurrection shows some of the best material of one of the best singer/songwriters of his generation, picking up the torch left by the likes of Elton John, Billy Joel, and Bruce Springsteen, but with a style all his own.

Despite the success of their 1997 hit The Freshman few people (outside of Michigan at least) are familiar with The Verve Pipe in general and the songwriting talents of their lead singer, Brian Vander Ark in particular.

While the Verve Pipe didn't grab me at first, there's no denying that Vander Ark's songwriting has only improved with each successive album. His solo album, Resurrection, follows in the natural progression of the Verve Pipe's 2000 release, Underneath. The two albums make excellent companions to one another.

The opening track, 1229 Sheffield has some of Vander Ark's more clever turns of phrase:

Returning our bottles for ten cent deposits
I'll drink us two dollars more...

The pet names you once gave me, we soon gave to the pets
I still come when you call them, just to be sure

There's a naked honesty to Vander Ark's songwriting that some may describe as "angsty" but to pigeonhole it would do it a great disservice. Another highlight to the album, And Then You Went Away probably best captures Vander Ark's "heart-on-the-sleeve" angst:

You hung your favorite picture so you could see it everyday
Then you went away, then you want away
It's by the window garden you said you'd water everyday
Then you went away, then you went away...

Slipped on the velvet curtains you had custom made
Then you went away, then you went away
And there's my new best friend, the one you took in as a stray
Then you went away, then you went away

Much like many of his Verve Pipe songs, there's a common theme of the evolution of relationships-- people growing together, growing apart, and the circumstances we face in relationships and the effect those events have on the relationship-- sometimes making it stronger, other times tearing it apart. This theme, tackled initially on the opening track, 1229 Sheffield is revisited on Mileage:

Pass by the high school
A memory rerun
When I was seventeen couldn't wait for twenty-one
I pass by the church
Where I married you
When you were twenty-one and I was twenty-two...

So I speed past the building
I always wanted to
Since I was twenty-one, almost twenty two
If I'd had the nerve
I'd have quit there before
You turned twenty-three and couldn't take me there any more...

The album as a whole is Vander Ark at his very best. His voice is soothing and consistently interesting. The songs never falter, there's not a "weak" or "skippable" song on the CD-- if anything most songs fall victim to the repeat button and with each new listen provide the listener with the gift of a new perspective. This is an album that only improves with each listen. So listen and enjoy!

Being a Verve Pipe fan since the way back (I am from Kalamazoo Michigan which is where the Vanderarks are from) I have to say this is the best of the best of what made Brian a great writer singer.

This album was entitled Resurrection because these songs were all looked over from previous Verve Pipe albums. This is also the reason that this album is pure Brian and much more raw and less pop then TVP's other albums.

Don Brown, TVP's drummer / other songwriter, is a more pop writer than BVA and thus the portions of TVP's albums that I did not really get into where generally Donnie's songs. This is not to say that Donnie does not have talent - it is just that I am much more into Brian's songwriting.

This is, again, the best of the best of why I have loved TVP's albums since I was a freshman (get it) in college.

Brian is a good guy and this album is worth every penny.

TF

A must hear for everyone who is a fan of singer/songwriters. The Verve Pipe (Freshman, Villians, Colorful) frontman goes out on his own and soars!!!

Great from front to back!!
Also, do not forget to go see him live, even better live than on the CD

When it comes to frontmen releaseing a solo record, very often you will end up $15.00 poorer and dissapointed with the result. It is not the case with this record. Brian Vander Ark's Ressurection is a bittersweet record that is a real departure from the Verve Pipe's last effort, 2001's Underneath. Underneath has the radio friendly hooks and guitar lines while this record Is mostly acoustic with only 2 real up-tempo numbers. From the opening track "1229 Sheffield" Brian shows that the real star of this record is his voice. It has never been stronger. If you need proof just listen to "And Then You Went Away". Other standouts are "Secondhand", "Mileage", Someone Like You, and "Ressurection". This is one of the few albums that I can listen all the way through without skipping a song. The best compliment I can give this record is that I have yet to let someone listen to this record that has not loved it.

VERY nice, simple, successful songwriting and performance.

I was (and still am) a decent fan of the Verve Pipe. Despite the early pop/grunge label that was slapped on the band (ironically since their biggest "hit", the song "Freshman", wasn't so grungy), they seemed to have a smarter approach to their song writing and a real sense of melody they integrated into their work. On top of that, Brian Vander Ark's voice seemed a bit more sincere than the average pack of grungy vocalists. There was also a lightness in the delivery as well as the standard brooding in 90's rock. So, when I found out the Verve Pipe vocalist (Brian) had released a solo-CD, I was more than curious, and I pushed that little one-click-to-order button many, many months ago to order the CD.

Well, now many, many months later I've had the chance to really appreciate the disc. VERY nice collection of songs delivered with an openness and earnestness that really comes through in the performance. There are also some brilliant bits and pieces of lyrical work in some of the songs. Not perfect, but very good. In fact, my only negative comment about the disk would be some of the songs and lyrics aren't quite as brilliant (but still decent) and therefore feel a little more like filler.

Brian very much proves himself a skilled singer/songwriter I would put in a similar vein as Neil Finn (Crowded House) or Justin Currie (Del Amitri). This was certainly one of the pleasant surprises for CD purchases the year I bought it. If you like introspective acoustic rock, with a sense of "realness" to the performance, this CD is WAY worth the listen. Not all of this perfectly fits that category, but enough does to make it worth the purchase. Ironically, the songs I tend to like less on here are the ones more similar to the Verve Pipe. Good work Brian and thanks...

Truly one of the most underrated songwriters of the past 10-15 years. This is an incredible album from start to finish, every song is an amazing gem with great lyrics and melodies.