Bash Co., who is a teacher and songwriter from Vila Nova de Gaia in Portugal, has been producing music as a solo artist since 1999. Having been exposed to a wide variety of records as a child, he regards Joy Division and the Manic Street Preachers as influences on his work. The song ‘Velvet’ came about during six days spent in Prague with his family, because the streets, monuments and political history of the city inspired what he saw as a love song with a broader perspective; he then recorded it in his own studio back in Portugal.
A holiday song that refers to Kafka and the Iron Curtain might end up being a rather tiring keepsake. By focusing on the city, Bash Co. explores how love fares during times of division and turmoil. The title serves a useful purpose here: ‘Velvet’ can mean clothing, refer to meeting someone who is wearing it, and also denote the revolution which has given Prague such an important place in the writing.
The way that phrase shows the connection is impressive: when someone catches your attention, your own emotions change and the place you’re in then provides that emotion with words. The song was inspired by visiting the places shown in the INXS video which was filmed in Prague. Because the songwriter had a long-standing connection with that band, walking around those streets gave him or her a highly personal starting point.
Starting with just voice and guitar is appropriate given the scale of the encounter. From there the arrangement progresses by means of louder guitars and more sophisticated production, thus enabling the surroundings to become part of the song. The most interesting aspect is introduced in the second half, with percussion intended to imitate marching troops. This decision introduces a sense of threat into the love song. The rhythm also has a narrative function, incorporating the political tension both into the arrangement and into the lyrics.
Bash Co. also maintains a number of different storylines. These might involve lovers who are about to be separated, someone feeling attracted during a time of difficulty, or a person going back to places associated with an earlier relationship. The writing allows for each of these possibilities and uses the historical references to give those personal experiences a common backdrop. The interpretation I have arrived at focuses on the fact that a street one knows well can at the same time contain affection and painful memories.
Because of all the history connected with it, the most valuable thing about the song is the repeated picture of a person in velvet. This image provides a human element to the broader ideas. When Bash Co. returned from Prague he had a particular subject to write about, and what was important was how he developed that setting in the lyrics, in the guitars and in the drums, which became more purposeful. I highly recommend it!
*This review was made possible by MusoSoup
