SONG REVIEW - Velvet Daydream’s “Revolver”
Kenzie Gay - @kenzwrites
It’s been nearly a year since Velvet Daydream, a four piece rock band from the greater Denver area, made their album debut with their first self titled record and the growth during that short chunk of time has been exponential both in terms of artistry, showmanship, and general personality.
Known for their classic sound, Velvet Daydream has gone through many phases, much like the moon, to get to this point. The quartet is composed of Kaeden Keys (guitar, vox.), Ryder King (guitar, vox.), Jude Pfanstiel (bass, vox.), and Nick Schwartz (drums, vox.), all of whom appear to be younger than any of the classic music they evidently pull inspiration from.
With their aforementioned debut album, The Velvet Daydream, Velvet Daydream invoked serious elements of vintage styles that many of us, both young and old, felt magnetized towards. Aside from the baseline technique and approach, The Velvet Daydream was recorded on 1/2 inch tape to keep things retro and true to the soul of rock music and that is just a sliver of the sheer dedication I believe these guys possess as integral artists.
With the last year being full of shows, development, and a monumental uptick in popularity both locally and nationwide, Velvet Daydream managed to get back in the studio to gift fans with some more officially recorded music and the first of more to come is their newest single, Revolver.
(left to right) Ryder King, Kaeden Keys, Nick Shwartz, and Jude Pfanstiel
Revolver: A Review
Revolver kicks off with a gritty and blues-influenced opening on the guitar and within those first four seconds all I could think was Roadhouse fucking Blues. Now, I had some sort of inkling that this song would pay homage to The Doors, my favorite classic band and a group that this very magazine gives recognition to (Love Street off of their 1968 record Waiting for the Sun, look it up!), because the band clued me in with “you’ll enjoy it if you’re a fan of The Doors” but I still was not expecting to hear the true spirit of Jim, Robby, Ray, and John in 2024. Truly, this song gives me hope that folks in the modern age will grow to respect The Doors more commonly and even further, it beyond excites me that current groups such as Velvet Daydream are able to capture this sound and spirit.
Despite the fact that The Doors never had a bassist, Velvet Daydream certainly does and Jude’s contributions on the bass guitar absolutely completes Revolver. His technique is smooth and lavishly soulful, steering the song in an expressive direction that again, is uncanny to The Doors’ style; specifically to the works off of Morrison Hotel (1970) and The Soft Parade (1969).
Looking past Jude’s work on bass and the similarities to The Doors at large, Revolver’s lyrics seem to hold the typical classic rock approach at writing with a heavy usage of symbolism. The symbolism in question appears to be the actual “revolver” at hand which reveals itself to be symbolic for a woman. We all know that The Beatles used a gun as an analogy for love in the past (Love is a Warm Gun, 1968 via The White Album) but in that case it was shed with a generally positive and romantic light. This could be the same context for Revolver but most of its lyrics allude to things not being so cut and dry, to things being a little messier which only brings the perspective to be more realistic even if it’s wrapped up cryptically like the greats once did.
After the release of Revolver, Velvet Daydream has a few more unnamed singles to be shared in the coming months though those defined dates have yet to be determined to the public. However, the band does have a handful of upcoming shows (as of publishing) that are listed out below.
Revolver is available to stream wherever you find your music and I urge you to go give these guys a listen, as they are one of the few modern rock groups that pays homage to the legends that came before us with their own innovativeness that I’ve found.
Velvet Daydream - Upcoming Dates
9/5 - Columbus, Ohio - Rambling House w/ Cinema Stereo, Sweet Desire, and Trauma Illinois
9/6 - Louisville, Kentucky - Never Say Die w/ Cinema Stereo, Sweet Desire, and Trauma Illinois
9/13 - Boise, Idaho - Realms Arcade w/ Red Caroline, The Madcap Laughs, Môs, and Seeking the Sun
9/14 - Salt Lake City, Utah - Garage on Beck w/ Soul Dye
9/20-9/22 - Moab, Utah - Electric Honey Festival
