Darling Violetta Parlour CD

Darling Violetta augment their sound and style with strings, horns, and several bassists, for a set featuring nicely placed EFX, crunching guitar chords, and singer Cami Elen's pop-drenched vocals on Parlour. Moreover, they implement a few Beatles-derived studio techniques, à la Sgt. Peppers and Abbey Road during selected tracks. This outfit has provided soundtracks for TV shows and a PC video game amid videos. Hence, a component of the musicians' collective artistry that should come as no surprise upon listening to their overall studio savvy can be found on the piece titled "Candy Jones," in which Darling Violetta aim at a crossover approach via a nicely rendered potpourri of softly strumming guitars, horns, and strings amid a late-'60s, Beatles-type vibe. They also intertwine straightforward rockers with discordant musings and hallowed themes. To that end, Parlour offers a divergent mix, featuring considerably more than your average rock. Although few of these pieces contain memorable melodies or catchy hooks, the group's intelligent game plan yields fruitful dividends when viewed as a whole. ~ Glenn Astarita

"Atmospheric, haunting music-yet they can also rock the roof off-this is a band that can't miss."Entertainment TodayBest known to television fans as the creators of the captivating theme song to the hit WB television show Angel, DV had songs from their previous albums Bath Water Flowers & The Kill You EP on Buffy the Vampire Slayer & a key position on the soundtrack to the cult classic PC & Playstation 2 video game "Vampire the Masquerade: Redemption". "Spoiled & Rotten" from The Kill You EP reached #12 on CMJ's Top 200 Most Added, & the accompanying video was #10 on CVC Rock/Alternative Video Charts-the only independent band anywhere near the Top 20. Both albums continue to sell long after their initial release.Parlour captures the band like never before. Waves of layered sounds & textures bathe tracks like the lush Abbey Road sing-along Star Shoes, the emotive modern-day torch song Say You Love Me, the radio-ready Over You, & the propulsive, Kashmir-like arena anthem A Smaller God; powerful, atmospheric & altogether extraordinary pieces. The visionary new Parlour is a lavish audio feast of constantly revealing sonic layers capped by a dewy voice singing like the other woman to a couple; alternately purring into the ear of her bedded lover & driving him from her boudoir. Parlour redefines DV's intensely individualistic music, blending their driving melodic hooks and passionate, dreamy lyrics with their famous dynamics & emotion."This trio-lead singer Cami Elen, guitarist Jymm Thomas and drummer Steve McManus-is one of the most fascinating bands I've had the pleasure to review to date. Dark, mesmerizing, enchanting, silken..."FMSound.net

Darling Violetta: Cami Elen (vocals); Jymm Thomas (guitar); Steve McManus (drums).

Additional personnel: Bret Levick (vocals); Ben Peeler (lap steel guitar); Chris Pott, Atto Attie, Michael Renninger (bass); Gerri Sutyak (violin); Steven Hanuman (horns).