subject: Versus On The Ones And Threes (merge) [print this page] On their first LP in ten years, New York Citys Versus returns with ten tracks imbued with raucous guitar riffs, soft, heart-clenching melodies, and the bands signature vocal harmonies, courtesy of frontman, Ed Baluyut (guitars) and Fontaine Toups (bass). While a conceptually simple formula, few bands have achieved such a delicate and aesthetically pleasing version. On this refreshing release, the band cuts through years of hipster-churned sludge back to the core of the New York music scene, proving that the art of making music was lost, but not dead.
Cicada begins with a stop-start rhythm accented with a 70s inspired guitar lick and soon cascades into an ethereal soundscape where Balyut and Toups sing, Seven long years / Ive been left for dead / I dont want to dream / Because you still appear. Given that NYC has a long history with the cicada, one wonders if the song is a metaphor for the bands decade-long low profile and subsequent resurgence. Other tracks that linger include the Toups-led Into Blue and Gone to Earth, which employs violin and xylophone to pull that much harder on the heartstrings.
The real standout is The Ones and Threes, appropriately held until the end for an explosive send-off. It tells the tale of a frustrated couple and is a prime example of the Versus canon, illustrated by the thrill ride that is one of the bands catchiest chorus melodies to date.
On the Ones and Threes is a worthy addition to the Versus oeuvre. Whether youre a longtime fan or have recently fallen under their spell, all hail the cicadasnot the zombies!of indie rock.
