Violet Mary is a study in keen balance. This is one of the few hard rock bands that still manages to maintain melody on the see-saw between muscle and melodic subtlety. And I don’t just mean dynamics that pull back to let the melody be heard here or there, but the presence of an actual floating, discernible, memorable melody. Plug in the band’s latest, self-produced “Level” or better yet, see Violet Mary live. It’s going to get juicy. Bring napkins.
Violet Mary performs with Falling Hollywood on Saturday, February 8, 9 p.m. at Lovin’ Cup, 300 Park Point Drive. $5. lovincup.com.
This article appears in Feb 5-11, 2014.
Not Your Every Day Rock ‘n Roll Band
Frank really put his finger on something unique in his review. It’s something that every successful classical ensemble sweats bullets over but rarely attains. I once heard Doc Marcellus from Eastman call it “Contrapuntal Courtesy” – basically, a performance style where all the members of the group are acutely aware of where their voice fits in the total story from second to second and how that total story affects the audience. It’s impossibly rare in the world of non-classical music until you get to the real big leagues and even then it’s often completely missing. Great licks get lost in a “we’ll fix it in the mix” attitude.
Finally, VM’s song-writing and their stunning vocals are worth mentioning. It’s plain to see that VM is consciously stirring up a refreshing brew where text, melody and performance come together with a polished, intense delivery – sort of a Rock ‘n Roll “Gesamtkunst” – a ‘total art’ unity that speaks to a much wider audience than your every day Rock groups.
Add this rare musical-sensitivity, text-sensitivity and soulful vocals to VM’s unstoppable Rock ‘n rRoll drive, and and the Rochester band scene has produced something truly musically unique!