Richard Neuberg is a man who has waited a long time for his moment. Arguably the first casualty of Britpop, he was Justine Frischmann’s beau until Brett Anderson appeared. Brett himself was eventually usurped (“too much TV and curry” apparently) by Damon Albarn and the early skirmishes of the scene’s ensuing battles were set in motion, gaining full momentum with the invasion from the North courtesy of the Gallagher brothers.
Neuberg retreated and effectively hibernated until the creative juices were reawakened by the new sounds emerging from America, providing inspiration and salvation: a chance for the singer-songwriter to come in from the cold. Five years ago he formed VIAROSA surrounding himself with other talented musicians, including Josh Hillman on violin, in his own right an integral cog in the wheel of WILLARD GRANT CONSPIRACY. The band’s sound has been fleshed out further with the vocals of Emma Seal, Mick Young on bass, Simon Alpin on guitars, Rob McHardy on mandolin, banjo and lap steel and Nick Simms on drums.
The mini-album ‘Porous’ is a sampler before the full album appears in May. Although Neuberg and VIAROSA may have been galvanised into action as a response to Americana, the first outpourings of ‘Porous’ suggest a sound that leans as strongly towards the directness of rock. The excellent opening title track is acoustic Doors with Neuberg’s voice evoking the spirit of Morrison. Despite its stripped bare arrangement it sets the tone of the album: a sombre but powerful atmosphere coupled with the strong imagery of Neuberg’s lyrics. ‘Where The Killers Run’ brings in the full band and plays like a companion piece to Jeff Buckley’s ‘Dream Brother’.
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The brief and tonal ‘Call To Arms’ is more pronounced in its roots/folk and despite Neuberg’s earthy vocals, that recall Johnny Cash, the epic balladry of ‘Wake’ also retains an affinity with the expansiveness of British acts such as the resurrected Embrace and the out of favour Starsailor. Final track ’Poor Man’s Prayer’ sounds like it could have been an outtake from the soundtrack to ‘Cold Mountain’ with the rhythmic melody of the banjo accompanied by a plaintive violin drone.
VIAROSA offer a heightened and dramatic version of roots based music, infusing their sound with the vibrancy of rock and a sensibility that is pleasingly still based on this side of the pond, despite the musical pilgrimage Stateside. The five tracks of the mini album succeed admirably in providing a tempting taster of VIAROSA's potential that can range from detailed intimacy to broad epic.
I have a hunch that while not exactly work in progress this crop of songs represents only a part of the band’s musical template, like self-contained pieces of an incomplete jigsaw. Hopefully the musical ambition projected by ‘Porous’ will transpose itself across the full album and that in turn that release will flesh out other ideas that the skilled personnel and the instrumental dynamics within the band must surely harbour.
www.viarosa.co.uk
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