Description
The Verlaines – Hallelujah All The Way Home – Cassette
‘Hallelujah All The Way Home’ is an album by the New Zealand indie rock band The Verlaines. Released in 1985, it is their third studio album and is considered a seminal release in the New Zealand indie music scene.
The Verlaines first full-length studio album finds the band grasping at high art in a decidedly pop context. Singer-songwriter Graeme Downes brings a classically trained musical background and educated bent to the endeavor of upping the ante on the three-minute pop song format.
The Verlaines, led by singer-songwriter and guitarist Graeme Downes, gained recognition for their jangly guitar sound, poetic lyrics, and melodic songwriting. ‘Hallelujah All The Way Home’ showcases their unique blend of indie pop, post-punk, and alternative rock.
The album features a mix of upbeat and melancholic songs, with Downes’ introspective and literate lyrics at the forefront. The Verlaines’ jangly guitars, driving basslines, and propulsive drumming create a dynamic and energetic backdrop for the songs.
Amidst the fray of Downes’ frustrated tales of betrayal, isolation, and disillusionment lay cellos and French horns in place of power chords and distortion pedals. In ‘The Lady and the Lizard,’ Downes’ bitter misgivings are tempered with muted rolling horns. The band saw fit to re-record ‘Phil Too’ (an earlier EP release), in which the metaphor of Caesar’s betrayal ringing through Downes’ tale of ill-fated relationships.
The pastoral ‘Don’t Send Me Away’ gives way to the bashing ‘Lying in State,’ giving the impression, one that often surfaces on Verlaines albums that all tranquillity is fleeting.
Standout tracks from ‘Hallelujah All The Way Home’ include the title track, ‘Doomsday,’ and ‘Pyromaniac.’ These songs exemplify The Verlaines’ ability to combine catchy melodies with thoughtful and introspective lyrics, creating an emotional and captivating listening experience.
‘Hallelujah All The Way Home’ received critical acclaim upon its release, with praise for its songwriting, musicianship, and Downes’ poetic storytelling. The album helped establish The Verlaines as one of the leading bands in the New Zealand indie rock scene of the 1980s.
For fans of indie rock, jangle-pop, and poetic songwriting, ‘Hallelujah All The Way Home’ offers a glimpse into the creative and melodic world of The Verlaines. It represents a significant chapter in the band’s discography and remains a beloved release among fans of New Zealand alternative music.
Brand new, never played and still sealed in the factory plastic seal
Homestead Records
Track Listing
1. It Was Raining
2. All Laid On
3. Lady And The Lizard, The
4. Don’t Send Me Away
5. Lying In State
6. Phil Too?
7. For The Love Of Ash Grey
8. Ballad Of Harry Noryb
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