Jun 162012
What’s that, you say? You want to hear Versus cover a song you probably already know? Well, sure; here’s ELO‘s “Shangri-La,” from an EP that also features a Versus song called “Shangri-La” and covers of the Kinks’ “Shangri-La” and “Out in the Streets” by the Shangri-Las.
After a 10-year hiatus, Versus returned in 2010 with On the Ones and Threes. Unfortunately, the tempos and song-lengths drag more than usual on this album. Plus, James Baluyut is out of the band again, and I miss the two-part guitar interplay between him and Richard. Still, any band that can come up with a song like “Scientists” still has the goods, in my book.
Thanks for writing, Oats. Versus is one of those bands I’ve heard of a bazillion times and couldn’t really describe their sound. They remind me of a lot of the other boy/girl singer bands of that era, especially Swirlies, Velocity Girl and (a little bit) Poster Children. I especially liked “Circles” and “Tin Foil Star,” probably because they remind me of those other bands (and MBV).
First of all, great piece, Oats. I really like the idea of a record representing one’s discovery of The City. The way you put it puts the tastes of generations I was too young or too old to have experienced during my prime years of discovery squarely into focus. Dig the music or not, your framing of things makes a lot of sense.
I’ve heard this band a couple of times over the last few years and like them more than many of their peers. I’ve always confused them with other bands from the late-’80s and ’90s with oppositional names: For Against, Girls Against Boys. I’m never sure which of these bands I like more than others; the safe bet is I really don’t like any of them. This band sticks out, though. They remind me of that Chicago band from the ’80s that you and sammymaudlin dig…I’m blanking on their name. I think they have a number in the name, maybe 13? All I can remember now, though, is that my first girlfriend dated one of the guys in that band a couple of years after she’d broken up with me. In-between me and the guy in that band she dated a woman, so that helped soften the blow a bit. It was more like she switched sports than changed teams.
1. “This was the great thing about indie-rock, before it became all about beards NPR, and acoustic guitars.” AMEN
2. Dan Harris…indie rock fan, huh?
3. I think what is often overlooked of the early-mid 90’s alterna-indie scene is the how many bands featured female vocals or band members. I can’t think of another movement except for the Girl Group era where this has happened. This list could go on with Elastica, MBV, Lush, Velocity Girl, J. Hatfield, Echobelly, Sleeper, Mangnapop, the Riot Grrl scene, just off the top of my head. Granted, not all these were “great” but there was plenty of good.
4. I remember hearing Versus, but completely forgot about them. Thanks for the memories.
5. While searching for more Versus videos I came up with this gem. http://youtu.be/oTQOmksJq3s
Drop 19s? Urge Overkill?
Oh, Lord, that Versus is a Christian-funk Curiosity Killed the Cat!
Mr. Mod is referring to Eleventh Dream Day. They’re a little bit more into the hairy jams than Versus. Kinda like a cross between X and Crazy Horse. Both bands, however, probably lead to the sound of Wussy, who are currently my favorite band in the universe.
Glad you guys enjoyed this post. Thanks!
Versus had earned a certain level of respectability in the indie-rock world, so they got to open many a show in Philly. But every time I saw them, I came away fairly unimpressed. They seemed to follow a standard guitar rock template, with nothing that stood out, They had none of the punk attitude of Superchunk, or the dark intensity of Seam, or the kinetic grooves of Butterglory.
They would merit recognition in a history of the 90s scene–just as Herman’s Hermits would do so in a history of the British Invasion.