The Velvet Teen

This trio from Santa Rosa has been together for a little over two years. Out of the Fierce Parade is the band’s first proper release; its predecessor was sold in CDR format at the band’s live shows. Following in the vein of melodic emo and neo-Buckley acts, the Velvet Teen constructs a magnificent melange of new material, ranging from dreary, heart-wrenching ballads (“A Special Gift to You,” “Penning the Penultimate”) to angst-filled rockers (“Radiapathy”). Judah Nagler knows how to weave intricate stories of considerable depth and magnitude into three-minute singles. Holding court in the rhythm section is Josh Staples on bass and Logan Whitehurst on drums, two of the genre’s brightest new stars. Fans of Jeff Buckley’s Grace or defunct Sacramento act Birthday and its now-solo frontman Jacob Golden should find great reward inside these grooves.