Rocktrospectiva: The Underrated "Villains" Turns 30

Released on 26 March 1996 "Villains" was the 3rd., and first major label release by US alternative rock  band the Verve Pipe. The album contained the band's first hit single, "Photograph", which peaked in the top 10 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks. A year after the release of the album, a reformatted version of "The Freshmen" peaked at number 1 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. The single was also the band's sole appearance in the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number 5. The success of the song helped this album go Platinum.Other singles taken from the album were "Cup Of Tea" & "Villains". The album remains the Verve Pipe's best-selling album. 

The Verve Pipe made their major-label debut under the direction of producer Jerry Harrison with Villains, recasting themselves in the inauspicious mold of a post-grunge act. On an initial listen, the album does little to distinguish itself from the masses, though patient revisiting reveals a band of more depth, with Brian Vander Ark's songwriting improving vastly over previous albums and more subtle aspects, like the tasteful organic keyboard arrangements, actually adding texture and dimension to the sound. The band seemed to acknowledge the misstep by re-recording "The Freshmen" for single release and subsequent pressings, which ultimately earned them their first national hit. With a raw anger in the vocals and melancholy instrumentation, this  easy album was perfect to relax to or sulk in a depressive state. The interesting  song "Villains" was a comment on the negativity and glorification of criminals on the news which represents the album as a whole, covering dark and depressing themes. In particular many songs on the album were heartbreaking and somber. "The Freshmen" one of the most remarkable songs ever written served as a climax of heartbreak, and the closer "Veneer" which was a sort of fading away and slow death, a fanfare with combined voices, everything fades away as the end comes near.

Considered it a very underrated album and one of the most ideal late 90s post-grunge/alternative rock records ever emerged. Unfortunately the band didn't get enough recognition but at least dropped their mark in the alternative music scene post grunge of the end of the 90s

 

Villains Track List:  

 

1. Barely (If At All)

2. Drive You Mild

3. Villains

4. Reverend Girl

5. Cup Of Tea

6. Myself

7. The Freshmen

8. Photograph

9. Ominous Man

10. Real

11. Penny Is Poison

12. Cattle

13. Veneer