Versus - Drawn and Quartered EP
(Insound)
Versus seems to be at their best when they don't take themselves
seriously. Lately, the band seems to be increasingly carefree, and it
is having a positive impact on their songwriting, bringing it back to the
quality of their early albums. Take recent material like the concept Shangri-La
EP and songs from their last album Hurrah like "I Love the WB" and
"Frederick's of Hollywood,"; obviously this is the Versus you first fell in
love with (the one that almost named their debut full length Meat, Sports, and
Rock) and not the Versus that released a subpar, esoterically-titled album
Two Cents Plus Tax with songs like "Atomic Kid" and "Never be O.K."
And what
better way for a band to continue on their carefree ways than to release a
tour EP?
Versus' Insound Tour Support EP is about as loose and carefree as a band can
get. The EP is titled Drawn and Quartered, and, as the title implies, the
band has been spliced to create this EP. Each of the four band members
contributes a song to the EP, written and (for the most part) recorded
completely separate from the other band members.
Lead members Richard
Baluyut and Fontaine Toups contribute material much like Versus standard
oeuvre. Naturally, Richard's song is a rocker, and Fontaine's song is
a ballad, similar to the songs each person leads on Versus' standard releases.
Fontaine's ballad is reminiscent of the cover of
the 60s girl pop group The Shangri-Las on Versus' Shangri-La EP.
Richard's song is straight, effective guitar pop, however it includes of
all things a kazoo melody, exemplifying the band's carefree attitude.
The other two member's contributions are slightly different than Versus'
standard material but equally good. Drummer Patrick Ramos' song is heavier guitar rock
with swaying, rhythmic guitars. Second guitarist James Baluyut's song wouldn't
sound out of place on an Aluminum Group album with lite, orchestrated
keyboard melodies and smooth, mellow vocals.
All of the songs on this EP have a loose, homemade feel to them, like
they were recorded over a weekend in each band member's apartment.
No time was wasted perfecting every lyric or creating the perfect sound.
Surprisingly, that seems to help these songs; they are direct and pure.
Hopefully, Versus' reawakened carefree attitude will continue.
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