I'm not a freak, I just 'Crush' a lot

Melody Freaks
Velvet Crush
Action Musik/ Parasol In a perfect world, Velvet Crush would be pop rock heroes. Since the early '90s, Paul Chastain and Ric Menck have been consistently releasing songs filled with glorious melodies, jangly guitars and drop-dead-gorgeous harmonies. Despite well-documented affiliations with extraordinary popsmiths Matthew Sweet and Mitch Easter, Velvet Crush has gone virtually unnoticed. Those who remember their critically touted full-length debut from 1994, Teenage Symphonies to God might know what I\'m getting at. But it\'s safe to assume that these days the Velvet Crush faithful are few and far between. Chastain, Menck and their Velvet Crush are in need of a resurgence of popular exposure. One could say that Melody Freaks comes at just the right time. A collection of demos and outtakes from the band's history, 1990 through 1996, this album could function as something of a "greatest hits" for a band that never really had any hits but deserved a hundred. First of all, the engaging melodies, affecting harmonies and assured guitar punch are ever-present over this 18-song collection, from the Sweet-guided first single "If Not True" to the simple melody of "Weird Summer" and the gentle aural touch of "Heaven Knows." Second, if these are demos or outtakes, one wouldn't know. The sound is as crisp and clean as any proper LP, and even the old versions of previously released songs don't stray much from what made them so engaging originally. If anything they mix in extra harmonic beauty and guitar punch. Add a few unreleased cuts to the mix, including the rocking "Standing Down" and the Three Hour Tour cover "Turn Down," and what you have is a legacy summarized. It seems clear from Melody Freaks that Velvet Crush has really known what they were doing all along -- creating singable pop-rock nuggets that belong all over the radio but somehow never get there. Do yourself a favor and take advantage before Chastain and Menck have a change of heart and go back to their day jobs.