Search - Veruca Salt :: Eight Arms to Hold You

Once again proving that good taste is hard to find...

Peter Marinari | Philadelphia, PA USA | 03/16/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The recipient of inexplicably lukewarm reviews and little radio play, Eight Arms To Hold You is an album of unapologetically intertwined power pop and hard rock. Produced by Bob Rock (Metallica), the guitars are crunchy while the voices of frontwomen Louise Post and Nina Gordon are clear as bells.



A meager two stars from Rolling Stone are hard to explain in the face of an album of such extraordinarily catchy songs: the goofy lead single "Volcano Girls," adolescent hand-clap anthem "With David Bowie," arena rocker "Earthcrosser," and especially the mid-album trio of "Benjamin," "Shutterbug," and "Morning Sad" -- all three of which were singles overseas. Every song here is a classic, at once imitating and transcending similar chick rock from the likes of Juliana Hatfield, Elastica, and The Breeders to form an astounding aural experience in the course of over fifty minutes and fourteen songs.



One has to wonder if the relatively poor reception to this strong album was a factor in the band's messy breakup in the following years, if only because there is nothing but harmony on this disc. Definitely worth a listen."

Much more emotionally resonant than ever given credit for.

D. Mok | Los Angeles, CA | 08/03/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Veruca Salt's Nina Gordon is one of the best songwriters on young people's feelings out there right now, an achievement scarcely acknowledged.In a way she is the positive flip side of postmodern culture amidst all of its pop-culture obsessions, wordplay, irreverence, laxitude and restlessness. Gordon's songwriting can simultaneously cut to the heart of the matter while remaining intriguing on the basis of her lyrical genius and musical punch."Loneliness Is Worse" is the masterpiece on this album, an aching, sweet ballad that perfectly captures endless nights of crying yourself to sleep with one phrase: "It's got a way of making everyone the same." Wrapped in angelic vocal harmonies and a surprisingly evocative wash of distorted guitars, "Loneliness" is the single most sincerely emotional song in the post-grunge era. For all of Kurt Cobain's meaningless doodlings, nothing beats a truly beating heart.Eight Arms to Hold You contains its share of gut punches, pop delicacies and weird moments, as well. "Volcano Girls", despite its silly title, contains incredibly catchy lyrics coupled with an aggressive guitar riff; "Benjamin" is pure pop; "With David Bowie" is teenage exuberance personified in song. Gordon's bandmate Louise Post, though not as strong as songwriter, contributes some stylistic variety: "Sound of the Bell", almost reminiscent of Smashing Pumpkins' "1979" in texture, rings true, striking gold with its loud-soft dichotomy.Gordon and Post have now gone their separate ways, with Gordon set to release as solo album (she's on Lilith Fair in 1999) and Post allegedly carrying on with Veruca Salt alone. This album almost emblematizes their ailing partnership: Troubled, but as much full of real feelings as energetic fun."

What a moron

E. S. Bynum | Radcliff, KY United States | 03/21/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"the editorial review on this album is ridiculous. the way that veruca salt managed to seamlessly work out a 14 song album that frequently flops back and forth between arena rock and power pop and have it be one coherent and beautiful collection of music that addresses a variety of topics is anything but "one dimensional." people who don't like music shouldn't review music."