David Vandervelde, Blitzen Trapper

You've heard of one-man bands—but one-man glam is something else entirely. On The Moonstation House Band, released earlier this year on the Secretly Canadian label, and a new EP built around the Moonstation single "Nothin' No," Vandervelde, who's based in Chicago, nods to the glitteriest rock of the early '70s...

By Michael Roberts

July 12, 2007

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You've heard of one-man bands—but one-man glam is something else entirely. On The Moonstation House Band, released earlier this year on the Secretly Canadian label, and a new EP built around the Moonstation single "Nothin' No," Vandervelde, who's based in Chicago, nods to the glitteriest rock of the early '70s by means of cheeky melodies, melodramatic arrangements, vivid guitars and vintage instrumentation. In the studio, however, Vandervelde handles virtually all of this gear himself; an exception is the aforementioned "Nothin' No," which features the bass playing of ex-Wilco member Jay Bennett, who co-wrote the tune with the show's star. Granted, the resulting cuts give off a discernible flashback buzz, but Vandervelde brings a DIY edge to the likes of the dizzying, echo-drenched "Cute Pretender" and the lovely "Dancing Sea Gulls Instrumental," both from the EP. Although Vandervelde will be performing with a full band on his current tour, this modern-day glammer isn't afraid to go it alone.

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