Veruca Salt Cures with Age
By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Sep 29, 2006 3:42PM
It’s easy to knock Veruca Salt. Only one of the founding members remains in the band. The group has gone through more line-up changes than the touring production of Cats. Once fame and fortune hit, they headed for the coast to live up the rock and/or roll lifestyle. The band’s last disc faltered under the weight of general debauchery and vitriol, leading many to question Louise Post’s ability to become the focal point and singular frontwoman.
The group hasn’t exactly been dormant in the years since Resolver’s release, but the band has been laying low, building up an unlikely following in Australia (!) while working on new music. A few weeks ago, without much fanfare, the group released IV and abruptly changed up their game, and confounded public expectations, by delivering an album that is stronger than any of their previous releases. We guess Post finally worked through whatever it was that was distracting her, found her voice, and commenced kicking ass.
Some of the songs on the album have been in the works for (literally) years and we have to appreciate the fact that Post held off releasing them until they found such a coterie of worthy companions. Post still channels some residual anger, to great effect, through such ragers as the AC/DC-ish “Centipede.” But a more tender side begins to surface on songs such as “Perfect Love” that display Post’s wish to make peace with her conflicting desires and settle into security rather than living with self-destructive doubt.
Tonight the band returns to Chicago to play the Double Door with a gaggle of new pals and old friends. It’s worth showing up early for a set by Cisco Pike featuring Local H’s Scott Lucas, another grad from the next-big-thing from Chicago movement of the mid-‘90s who never got the fame he deserved. In fact, we expect the whole evening to be a reunion of sorts, featuring many familiar faces from that particular place in time. Some have weathered the years well, some have fared more poorly, and some – especially Louise Post – have made their peace and are creating some of their strongest work yet.