Bethany Tomkins: Rising Stars of Sundown: Vertigo
No Fear of Heights: Vertigo prepares for Market Square.
Vertigo has some tricks up their sleeves. Not at all quick to reveal them, they fold them out one by one, song by song, as evident on their debut CD, "And Miles To Go Before We Sleep." A savvy band based out of Morristown, they've already got one music video under their belt, and are working on songs for a second album. I recently spoke with their guitarist Joel Rudnick on what makes Vertigo tick.
As with any band, the methods of songwriting begin with an idea, shared with others, that becomes the meat of something much greater. As those ideas near completion, the band works to build on the original idea, adding layers and textures to all of it. "We jam it out and find out exactly what direction it takes, and whether or not we want to alter that direction," Joel explains. "Sometimes it will be done fairly quickly, other times it may take a few practices to get something close to what we're satisfied with."
Recording in a studio seems to sway a band to focus more on their down-pat sound, without variation, or conversely, pushes them to explore even further, with the incentive that studiotime is magic - you only get it for a short while, then you move on to production and release. Joel says, "We basically went into an intensive writing process in which we ended up with about 25 or 30 songs we had to sort through to decide what made the cut and what didn't." Working together for the past few years, Vertigo has culminated a way to sense what works for them, not just what they think people want to hear. Drawing influences from bands like A Perfect Circle and The Cure, they avoid having a label like "metal" or "shoegazing" applied to their style. "We have a difficult time comparing ourselves to other bands," Joel says, adding, "honestly, I couldn't tell you someone I listen to who I think we sound like."
If Vertigo was a color, it'd be a soft green-blue - a color you can almost feel, something cool to a hot temper, of screaming insecurity being quelled by a small hope that something good will come out of it all. Lead singer Lindsey Stamey has a way of singing that lets you know she really means it - no sap, no sugar - with all of her heart. The percussion from a fellow Stamey (her brother, Justin), and bassist Shawn Parella combine to serve as the backbone of the Vertigo sound. They've got something very special, and aren't quick to give it away to the first responder. When I asked about record label shopping, Joel shared a little inside info with me. "We've had some interest from some pretty formidable companies, but we're trying to be smart.. it's a very ruthless business."
Some might say it's good luck, but it seems more apt to put it down to simply being rewarded for their hard work and dedication to their art; either way, this relatively young alt-rock foursome is set to open this Thursday's Sundown In the City. For a free preview of what Vertigo has to offer, check out their MySpace. Included in the on-page media player is a new song, "The Coming and The Going," which was recorded in Joel's South Knox basement studio, as well as the band's music video for "These Adult Bones." Check it out!
