VELOUR3 – Velour3
Kaleidoscope Records

This debut album for this local three-piece indie band can be summed up with these resume-filling qualifications: they're unpretentious, fun, and have a drummer named Flavio Monopoli, which must be the greatest name bestowed on man or woman since Boutros-Boutros Gali. This nine-track disc is full of big, bouncy, fuzzy pop that just –rolls along a’grinning. The song writing is happy and simple, and the style ranges at times from the big-band trumpet groove of Fly High With Me to Beach Boyish harmonies to the elastic spinning groove of Not the One. Other highlights include an ode to The Simpson’s super Kwik-E-Mart clerk Apu in Nahasapeemapetilon (which is of course Apu's last name).  It is Lyrics like: “He’s Got Bullets in his chest, but still you’ll never see him dour!” that not only show some great sardonic potential, but also make me smile.

The vocals are the only serious weakness, as Velour3 lacks a compelling, identifiable voice that will grab listeners. All three sing competently enough, but leads Paul Marcotte (guitar) and Jonathan Schubert (bass) though good, energetic players, lack the pipes to match the big bounce that this band has got going. Overall though, this is a fun album. Go ahead and have a listen. - Bruce Arthur, Ubyssey, 19 August 1997.