The Vernes | photo by Crosby Clouse | courtesy of the artist
The Vernes explore the boundaries of indie pop on new LP
Philly favorites The Vernes just dropped their new LP Maybe I’ll Feel Better When I’m Dead, which will feel to a first-time listener like unearthing a rare gem. What begins as your average indie pop album delivers something delightful and unexpected.
The title track follows the formulaic lure of any indie rock single — you can’t help but sing along by the second and third listen. Vocalist Matthew Gragg employs the yelling-from-across-the-room technique of beach pop bands to create a spacey, echoing distance.
“Murder in Db” drags a sedated weight, the instrumentals a restless grumble. Acoustic tracks like “Zurich 1953” offer quiet solace like abandoned rest stops on a rocky road trip. The scratchy “MTV Revisited” plays with warped samples and Velvet Underground inspired solos, tossing a pinch of Southern-sounding harmonica into the recipe. Closer “Tired Shoes” pushes the experimentation, adding a big band rhythm section, jazzy trumpet solos petering out, a tolling piano chord sustained.
The Vernes have a gig at Boot & Saddle on October 11, tickets + info here. Stream the full LP below.