It’s been a while since we’ve heard from Killing Heidi’s Elle and Jesse Hooper. In the early 00s, it was hard to avoid their music, but as the scene changed, and their audience grew older, so did they, essentially disappearing from the scene after the release of their third album in 2004.
It was at this time they started experimenting with a more matured sound, writing over a hundred songs in the process and eventually reemerging as duo The Verses. But it’s been far from a sudden return to the spotlight. They started from scratch, going about it as any new band would: After touring extensively around the country at pubs, clubs and festivals, they released a self-titled 4 track EP late last year – something not even Killing Heidi got to do.
After touring with Fleetwood Mac at the end of 2009, the duo complied their favourite tracks and flew to Santa Monica to record their debut album Seasons with Producer Mitchell Froom (Crowded House, Pearl Jam). And tonight, performing as a 6 piece, it was finally time to launch the album with a celebration at the Vanguard in Sydney.
They were introduced by a Warner Music executive as not having the commercial / radio friendly sound we may have found from them in the past. But while he of course touted this as a positive, I couldn’t agree entirely with this statement. As they opened with “Still Come Around” in the short 6 track set, I immediately had flashbacks to the first Matchbox Twenty album, Yourself or Someone Like You, back when they were still “Matchbox 20”. Sure, at first glance it wasn’t the most commercial album, but low and behold they became one of the most successful bands in the late 90s. Much like the Floridian band, The Verses have a genre bending sound – mixing elements of folk, country and rock into something which is immensely palatable, polished, and yep – you guessed it! Commercial. But in a good way. It’s not Bieber or Gaga – it’s original, but delicious all the same.
“Want Everything”, their first single, followed, which Elle touted as a “bit of a break up song”. We were given a Choose Your Own Adventure style title next, with “Let You (W)in”, and much like the previous two tracks, we were given a matured, melodic number, which bounced off the walls of the Vanguard beautifully – even better once they sorted problems with Elle’s vocal levels! Speaking of Elle’s vocals, they sound far different to what we became accustomed to in her Killing Heidi days. Put simply, it’s quite beautiful, and to her own admission, this is Elle as she was meant to be heard. It’s great to see Elle and Jesse having worked so hard to get themselves back to this point to be able to produce this music. It’s surely going to be of great success.
“Midnight” was next, and was a far more upbeat number than the night to now. As Elle said, it was the “jumparound” moment of the evening. Unsurprisingly, it was easily my favourite of the night. “Settle Down” followed, and was another beautiful number.
“Teeth” closed out the night providing us with a more drum focused melody. For the third time that evening, they provided us with a sound that could have easily been produced by another band – The Whitlams maybe? – yet it still felt right at home with The Verses.
This is certainly a band who are producing a little bit of something for everyone – something which I don’t think could be said for Killing Heidi. And I for one am loving it. Just like the band themselves, I’ve moved well beyond my years of Teen angst in the last decade, and now have no problems enjoying a good bit of music from the Adult Contemporary section! It’s good to see that unlike some bands out there, they have moved on and acknowledged the same – producing their best music to date in the process.
If their live show is any indication, the album Seasons should be a ripper – and I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy!
Seasons is in stores and online through Warner Music now!
