The Verlaines Hallelujah All the Way Home (Vinyl, Flying Nun Records, 1985) ****
Genre: NZ Music, alt-rock
Places I remember: JB Hi Fi
Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: It Was Raining
Gear costume: Lying in State
Gear costume: Lying in State
They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7
Active compensatory factors: The Verlaines (a.k.a. Verlaines) are a band from Dunners in Nu Zild - Flying Nun's hometown (fun fact: also the birthplace of the present Mrs Purdy).
Active compensatory factors: The Verlaines (a.k.a. Verlaines) are a band from Dunners in Nu Zild - Flying Nun's hometown (fun fact: also the birthplace of the present Mrs Purdy).
This was their debut. The band centres around mainman Graeme Downes and a revolving cast of other stellar NZ musicians.
I can't pretend to be a huge fan but the debut is interesting because its eclectic song styles do keep me on my toes. I listened to the album on repeat while doing some marking of Year 11 scripts and not too much penetrated my meagre brain.
That said I love the dense impenetrable sound, the medieval slant to some songs (plus the cover) and the lyrics which I guess are down to Downes.
Where do they all belong? It's the kind of album that demands more concentration, so I will definitely return to it.
