You have a lifetime to create your first album, then the real work begins. If you are as fortunate as Beijing based musician, Joewi Verhoeven, the mastermind behind lo-fi indie rock mavericks Arrows Made of Desire, and your debut full length does snag a substantial devoted fanbase then the pressure to produce a worthy follow up can be significant to say the least. It's called "the Sophomore Slump". Out are the days of lackadaisically noodling around on guitars with an infinite amount of time to write your well crafted songs, and in is the hectic breakneck touring schedule, press junkets, the thunderous ticking of the studio clock, and most of all: raised expectations. The pressure is enough to break the creative backs of most worthy artists. Deliver the mirror image of your debut and you're pegged as a one trick pony. Stray too far into sounds unknown then you've lost the plot and your fanbase. The trick to the success of a make-or-break sophomore album (and they all are) is progression, not only in the right direction, but in the correct amount. This is something Joewi Verhoeven has proven to understand all too well.
Enter the antithesis of the sophomore slump, Songs That Sell Out, the sequel to Arrows Made of Desire's lo-fi predecessor, Songs That Sell Fish. Upon contrasting the two there is no doubt Joewi's signature sonic stamp remains intact on his latest batch of material: rollercoaster song structures, dangerously addictive hooks, and a cornucopia of lyrical wit litter Songs That Sell Out yet the progression of quality, not only in technique and recording but in songcraft, is undeniable. But before we dig into the present, we must first revisit the past.
|
