Originally formed in Los Angeles, California as a two-piece, made up of songwriter/bassist Jamil Kassimali and songwriter/vocalist Shannon Martinez, in 2005, Velour Academy spent years perfecting their poppy punk sound on a series of demos before recording expanding to four members (adding drummer Matt Calderon and backup vocalist/keyboard player Itzel Palacios) and recording their first formal album, Ooze, in 2017. 2021 sees the release of the group’s second full-length, entitled CHISME, featuring the addition of guitarist Justin Hall, and if you’re looking for a record to brighten up your day, this album would certainly do it.
CHISME is full of bright melodies, wonderful vocal lines and harmonies, warm keyboard and mallet percussion tones, and an overall upbeat mood that, to me, was quite refreshing and vaguely reminiscent of ‘90s twee pop groups such as Tiger Trap or Cub. Every once in a while, I find myself gravitating to those bands and that music just to give myself a boost after a long day, and I’d have to think that Velour Academy might join the rotation on that front. I deal with a lot of premieres for this site, but it’s been a while since I’ve covered a release that was as immediately likable as this album. Quite a welcome and pleasant surprise indeed.
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Here, we’ve got the premiere of the album’s third track entitled “Unetta,” about which vocalist Martinez says:
“When I started college I didn't have any friends. I worked in the Student Employment Office and there was a lady there named Unetta that I really grew to love. When I came back from summer break for my sophomore year, the other staff told me that Unetta was gone and they would not tell me why. I was devastated and I cried. I have been wondering about Unetta ever since. Recently, I found her on Facebook. As of right now, she left me on read, so the song is still appropriate.”
Dig the track below and head over here to preorder the album. CHISME drops on June 4th digitally as well as on pink vinyl and cassette.
