Local CD Spotlight

The Vera Violets
Dirty Rainbow
Words: James Ferreira
Photo: Bradley Paul Valentine

Tampa-based garage rockers, The Vera Violets, have recently finished their much-anticipated third full-length album entitled, Dirty Rainbow. This 12-song release explores many levels of the darkly haunting sounds of shoegaze and psychedelic rock, harkening back to the days when The Jesus and Mary Chain dominated stereos of alt-rockers across the globe. Fuzzy guitar riffs and space-age key sounds permeate the record, which has a touch of the blues and pulsating beats throughout.

Recent resurgence in the shoegaze sub-genre should suggest much acclaim for this poignant tribute to the post-punk dream pop days in the UK. Stylistically, the disc is not a huge departure from the band’s earlier days, but the timing may just be right for the adoring ears of a growing music loving populous across central Florida longing for something new (which ironically comes in the form of something old). Masterfully produced and extremely well thought out, Dirty Rainbow is another triumph for a local music scene in constant flux.

While it may be wishful thinking to suggest that The Vera Violets latest offering will speak to all the young ears in the bay area and beyond, there is undoubtedly a large collection of older music fans who fondly remember the days when the droning feedback of an electric guitar over spacey electronic sounds caused the nodding of heads in underground music scenes worldwide. Dirty Rainbow successfully captures the spirit of the sounds made famous by My Bloody Valentine, and the aforementioned Jesus and Mary Chain, which highlight the musical influences of some of the greatest minds in modern popular and underground rock music scenes. Whilst reminiscent of former greatness, this record illuminates a brilliance that is all its own. It’s an exciting time to be a fan of independent music in Florida, and with the latest release from The Vera Violets, things have just gotten a lot more interesting.

theveraviolets.com