Artist: Veronica
Label: Nika Records
Release: 1998
Rating: 3.8/5
Veronica is an instrumental band from Celje, formed in the 1990s. The band’s name may have come from the name of a Celje noblewoman, the first woman accused of witchcraft in Slovenia, Veronika Deseniška. They call themselves an experimental band. Personally, I think that’s a pretty good description, since they’re really hard to pin down in any more specific category. But given that this outfit is supposed to be experimental, I expected it to be harder to get into. Turns out that’s not the case at all. The music is extremely melodic, endearing, and grows on you fast.
You could say Veronica write music for films. It’s mostly a hugely atmospheric affair, built on interesting melodies from various keyboards and on the drummer’s rhythmic patterns. Matej Oset and Franc Podgoršek also wrote all the music on this record, yet they don’t hog so much of the spotlight that they overshadow all the guest musicians. Everybody gets their moment and everybody delivers. Even though Oset and Podgoršek make music that’s more emotional than overly complex, it would be wrong to conclude that their music lacks substance and structure. At times individual tracks can get pretty tricky and layered, and I’d even dare to say Oset and Podgoršek are prog rock fans, since elements of the genre are definitely there. Like I said, the two composers mostly build on atmospheres, but these ambient soundscapes aren’t the kind that go nowhere. The songs mostly have interesting structures that are built up gradually.
Even though Oset and Podgoršek are the composers, don’t expect any wild solos from them. They’d rather leave that stuff to the guests, while they focus on compositions and arrangements. Special mention goes to a handful of really high-quality guitar parts that are technically polished without being showy, at times even reminiscent of David Gilmour’s playing in Pink Floyd. This isn’t music that calls for strutting around on your instruments, though I don’t doubt for a second that every member of Veronica is more than capable of moving their fingers fast.
One interesting quirk of this album is that the booklet and the insert under the tray are made of wood instead of paper. That gives the album an extra organic touch, on top of the title itself, of course. No question, the idea of graphic design on wood is pretty original — I haven’t come across it anywhere else.
This CD is very well made and well written, but it still has a few flaws. The songs are too similar to one another and build on the same principles. From a compositional standpoint, too, the tracks follow more or less the same patterns. Luckily, Oset and Podgoršek are clearly receptive enough to notice, because by the album Triac they’d mostly fixed these things. Still, I have to admit I like the melodies on this album more than on Triac. It’s just a shame the arrangements aren’t a bit better.
Veronica are definitely a band that deserves more attention, since they dare to take risks and walk their own path. Oset and Podgoršek aren’t constrained by any labels. They make what they want to make. Even the graphic design is their own idea. If more bands dared to follow their hearts instead of the euros, there’d be more quality music in the world. Personally, I hope Veronica keep making music for themselves and not for the masses for a long time, because I’d love to see many more great creations from them. I also get the feeling the best is yet to come.
Recommended.
You can only buy the album by contacting Franc Podgoršek through their website.
Lineup
Matej Oset – keyboards
Franc Podgoršek – percussion
Igor Bezget – guitar (3, 6, 8, 9)
Aleš Uratnik – guitar (4, 5)
Cveto Polak – bass guitar (3, 4, 6, 7, 9)
Aleš Ulaga – bass guitar (1, 2, 8)
Production
Matej Oset, Janez Rak
Tracklist
1. Quercus 5:42
2. Tilia 5:47
3. Prunus 5:18
4. Pinus 4:28
5. Fraxinus 6:15
6. Fagus 4:40
7. Acer 3:40
8. Larix 4:59
9. Juglans 6:08
