Warm

Blues Flux Delux, Velvet Chain

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 9, 1997)
• Original Release Date: December 9, 1997
• Label: Overall (DNA)
• ASIN: B000003P04
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #224,112 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Velvet Chain was getting Warmer..., January 22, 2000

By A Customer

Made up of recordings at five different studios with twice as many mix masters, you get the impression that Velvet Chain was still looking for their sound when they made "Warm." If you arrived here after hearing the single "Strong," you may be frustrated by this album's inconsistency. All I want is to be wrapped up in the layers of Erika Amato's vocals, so that I'm bound tight when Jeff Stacy starts building up from the bass line. But on "Warm," VC can abruptly switch to En Vogue and then to Natalie Merchant. It's all quality, and this is obviously a very talented group, but it's not what I wanted. I would direct "Strong" fans to "The Buffy EP" first (not the soundtrack), which is a recent release, and to come back to "Warm" later.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best unheard of bands in the country, September 23, 1998

By A Customer

The style of music that Velvet Chain produces can be compared to a rainbow of colors. From the darkest hue to the most funky feet movin' jams, The Chain does not disapoint. Most people like to identify with the voice of Erika Amato as the driving heart and soul of the group. However, I believe there is an underlying secret to the groups overall success. To begin with, the songwriting technique brings us into an era of Jim Morrisonesque and Pink Floydish style. It grabs you by the hand and demands that you listen to the story being told. But it is not forceful like a mother grabbing your ear, but like the Lion from the Chronicles of Narnia, basically enticing you to experience this hypnotic wonder. Secondly, the music and the people that let the magic arise from the instruments introduce us to another feeling, almost dreamlike. Bass player Jeff Stacy is an individual with a knife like feel. Smooth in the middle but very sharp on the edges, Stacy knows how to control the strings with precision but he is also not afraid to let it ride. The guitar riffs from Tom Calzini bring you to a fork in the road. The melody looks like it is going one way, but then takes the road less traveled by and comes up and bites you in the ass. Craig Van Sant has an eerie sound with percussion like Stewart Copeland from the Police. He relies on it heavily through many songs which emphasizes the other sounds and brings them all together. With this type of musical backing, you would be led to believe that it is to cover the mediocre lead singer. Not a chance. Erika Amato is a singer with the song of a bird but the roar of a lion. Her voice captivates, intimidates, and leads you into a hypnotic lair that you wish you could never leave. All in All, Velvet Chain is a talent that will continue to live, thrive, and survive, whether a 1000 people here them, or the world. The opinion offered is based on talent, the talent of Velvet Chain.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great early album by a unique band!, July 28, 2004

By	VC Fan (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews

I bought this album several years ago after hearing STRONG on the Buffy Soundtrack and -unlike that one negative review I saw - I found it to be a really pleasant surprise! It was really cool to hear all the various styles on this CD. I personally hate it when a band's songs all sound exactly the same, and Velvet Chain definitely does not have THAT problem. Sure, the overall sound on WARM is a bit more raw and hard-edged that you might have expected if all you'd ever heard was the STRONG single, but you can still hear the groovy, cool, sensual through-line that makes this band unique. I think it's a great CD.

Also, for what it's worth, their two most recent albums, MOODY GROOVE MUSIC and ASTEROID BELT are AMAZING. I don't think you can get them anywhere other than the Velvet Chain website, but you should definitely check them out if you can. It's really cool how much their sound has evolved...especially on ASTEROID BELT: it's like they're playing groovy space-jazz/rock/funk on the MOON! I love this band.