by Nude Descending is the latest from Seattle four-piece Versing, and is an excellent EP of guitar-driven music. Right from the get-go, opener “Early Spring” kicks off with riffage that conjures the phantoms of Pavement and Loaded-era Velvet Underground. The recording and production by Dylan Wall is excellent; the guitars awash the ear with hazy reverb-drenched waves, and are propelled by urgent drumming and tasteful bass work. The vocals are intertwined nicely with the instruments, giving the band a lush sound without anything sounding superimposed. The title track is a piece of catchy, jangle rock with a solid bass line.
“Medicine Man” is a full-on assault that moves at a brisk pace with echoes of “Rock and Roll,” furthering the band’s noticeable VU influence. “Fantomz” begins as rainy day sugar pop that periodically bursts with heavy chords recalling Wowee Zowee, with the singer sounding like Stephen Malkmus’ long lost brother. The band’s performance is excellent, mixing equal parts indie and majesty.
The stuttering instruments and vocals on “Voight Kampf” gave me the feel of a band playing in an abandoned subway station with the trains left running. “Haunted Hauses” straight-up sounds like the ghost of 90s indie rock, gorgeous verse chords and laconic vocals demonstrating the band’s knack for hooks and undeniably tight chemistry. Bringing it home is “1896,” another Velvet-y driving track, and an appropriate end piece, the music carrying the listener down their sonic plain for the last minute.
The cohesiveness and pacing of this release is fantastic. After multiple listens, I never found myself wanting to skip any tracks. A great soundtrack for a late night or a long drive, for sure.
(Nude Descending is available to download or purchase via a ‘name your price’ model through Versing’s Bandcamp page. You can stream the “Haunted Hauses” single below through SoundCloud.)
