– Tora Matys
A trio from Edmonton is aiming to bring you a smooth sound laced with relatable lyrics. The Velvetines began as a solo project by singer and guitar player, Spencer Murphy. But after a trip to Australia, he fell in love with the psychedelic beach music scene there and knew he needed to bring that back home. Shortly after that Spencer and friend Addison Hiller (drummer) wrote and recorded their first album, Fresh Claws, with contributions from Zac Smith on bass guitar. After that album, they changed their lineup replacing Smith with Dean Kheroufi. Their music is a little rock ‘n’ roll, a little bit indie, and a lot groovy.
Since their debut album in 2014, they have released two other albums, A Hot Second with The Velvetines (2015) and Slow Wave (2017).
“Slow Wave is a really cool album because it’s the first one where everyone contributed to writing,” said Murphy. This gives it a more unique sound. Recording the album went as smooth as possible, and only took 10 days to do.
They spent the past summer touring Canada. You may have even seen them recently at the Freemason Hall in Edmonton. They are also finishing up a new album they anticipate to have released by this winter.
Touring can be hard on your mental health. Murphy said in an interview how important it is to be aware of your mental health, because far too often people forget about it before it’s too late. It can be especially hard when you’re touring, not eating or sleeping well, and just missing your family at home. It takes a toll on your life. He’s grateful to at least be on the road with buddies and everyone is able to talk to one another. Having music as a way to express themselves helps keep them sane as well.
There are a lot of ups-and-downs when you’re in a band.
“If the music is what you’re really passionate about, you just have to keep at it,” said Murphy.
You can find all their music on Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube, where they are always adding new music videos. Keep an eye on their Instagram (@thevelvetines) and Facebook; tour dates for the new album are anticipated to begin in the spring of 2019.
Image courtesy of BeatRoute Magazine
