Velvet Crush - Free Expression (1999)

Enlisting longtime friend Matthew Sweet as producer, Ric Menck and Paul Chastain (both are part of Matthew Sweet's backing band) rebounded greatly to produce one of Velvet Crush's most consistently engaging records with Free Expression. While it doesn't have any song as memorable as the hook-filled mania of 1994's "Hold Me Up," this release does expand considerably upon Velvet Crush's sound. The album as a whole is potentially their most consistent and the songs are of uniform quality, probably due to Sweet's production. Some horns are brought in on a few tracks to color the album even more, and, as usual, there are touches of country strewn throughout the song cycle. Free Expression proves that Velvet Crush are one of the finer pop acts out today, and that the band deserves more than merely a cult following.~Free Expression Review by Jason Damas