Search - :: Vermillion

Vemillion runs out the clock

Tim Brough | Springfield, PA United States | 09/20/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The Three O'Clock was one of the bands in Los Angeles' paisley underground, and probably the best of the bunch next to the more successful Bangles. About the same time Prince was having his dalliance with Susanna Hoffs, he was also launching his Paisley Park custom record label. It turns that the Bangles dug the Three O'Clock, and Prince, just having written "Manic Monday" for the ladies, signed these boys personally. Prince then handed The Three O'Clock "Neon Telephone" and sent them into the studio.



The result was "Vermillion," The Three O'Clock's swansong. After the delightfully trippy pop that the band delievered on the IRS albums Arrive Without Travelling and Ever After, "Vermillion" seemed downright tame. There were stories that Warners was trying to push lead singer/songwriter Michael Quercio into teen-idol territory and he was balking, stranding this album between cool psych-pop and outright poptune territory. And while The Three O'Clock still sounds good, "Vermillion" is a limp across the finish line for a band that could have been 80's huge.



It's interesting to note that Jason Faulkner of Jellyfish was on board for this album, and contributed the terrific "Love Has No Heart." Prince's contribution, "Neon Telephone," was hooky enough but a trifle in his songwriting. "When She Becomes My Girl" skirts Lola territory. There's plenty of good songs here, like "Ways of Magic," "Love Explosion" and the closer, Qurcio's "Through The Sleepy Town," but even with The Purple One's backing, it wasn't enough. Since you can get "Vermilion" used on the cheap, I can recommend this to fans of 80's power-pop ala 20/20, Shoes, or the aforementioned Bangles.



"

Cute, melodic pop

Brooklin Slym | 06/23/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I must admit that if this group had never signed to Paisley Park, i probably would have never heard of them. That being said, if you enjoy a good melodic pop song, there are several here.



My personal faves would have to be "Love Has No Heart", "Ways of Magic", "On Paper" & "Time's Going Slower." Oh wait, i can't forget "To Be Where You Are." I understand Paisley Park was Prince's own personal playground, and it appears to be a good thing that he only wrote one track for the album ("Neon Telephone"...those who've watched "Under the Cherry Moon" will recognize where this came from), but it's beyond me that that track was even a single with songs like "To Be Where You Are."



Short of politics, if this album had been promoted, i believe some of the tracks could have definately been pop radio staples (especially in L.A.) at that time."