THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Always moving, never stopping, always forward, allied in threes. Velvet Two Stripes are united by a 15-year band history, and still Sophie and Sara Diggelmann and Franca Mock know only one direction: Forward.
“Nothing can hold us back any more,” says Sara. “We navigate the way we like,” adds her sister Sophie, referring not only to the trips across the rusty railway bridge on the Columbia River that took the Swiss trio to the recording studio in Vancouver, Wash., in the summer of 2022. She also means the meandering between the underground and the music industry that the band has mastered so confidently.
Velvet Two Stripes have never let themselves be taken over by the industry. They have always remained true to their raw rock sound and have developed it further, unflinchingly. The title of the musicians’ new fourth album, No Spell For Moving Water, also tells of this. No evil spell sticks to flowing water, it cannot be cursed and it flows over every stone that lies in its path. If you keep moving, you escape every witch’s spell and remain free.
No Spell For Moving Water captures the three musicians pounding out raw guitar rock over a bluesy and punky foundation as usual — though it also surprises you with new pop facets. Two luminaries of the rock scene are responsible for the right sound: Vance Powell (mixing) and Pete Lyman (mastering). What’s next? “Music remains the most important thing,” they say. “We don’t have to conform to trends, we don’t have to please anyone but ourselves.”
Track By Track Notes From The Band
The One
A catchy but eerie song about Sophie’s first sleep paralysis. The driving guitar and bass take you on a wild ride, while the voice takes you deeper into the dream but not from the dreamer’s perspective but from the nightmare’s perspective. It is a song about desires and conflicts. It is about letting go of fear instead of holding on to it.
Fuckboy
The title already contains pretty much the story. This song is about the end of a fling, or maybe It wasn’t even that. It is a bout deception and anger. “You really got me good, I was blinded by your forever tattoo” it says. But it is also about empowerment, not needing that deceptive person and finding someone who treats you the way you deserve.
Boots Walkin’ All Over You
Ever felt unseen, or felt overlooked? This song is exactly about that. It is about feeling strong, working hard in silence while letting success be your noise — Whatever your definition of success is. The strive for more, the drive to be more is reflected by the strong guitar and bass riffs and the straight drum beat. It’s the perfect anthem for a job interview, presentation, or a night out. Whatever you need that extra dose of confidence and rock ’n’ roll for.
No Spell For Moving Water
This song is about a witch, telling all her secrets which is essentially to listen to your self, be your own person and rely on yourself before you rely on others. She is the epitome of freedom. No Spell For Moving Water means that as long as you keep moving no one can stop you or put stones in your way or enchant you with a bad spell. This sentence is especially important to us since this is something we always have done, no matter how hard the journey was.
Idaho
Idaho is about being best friends. Even more so it is about being your own best friend. Your own Bonnie to your Clyde. It is a conversation with your younger self about making peace with yourself to overcome the past and keep moving on to a better future. It is definitely our most pop song but still reminds of late ’70s rock ballads.
Streetlights
Streetlights is the perfect song for a road trip. Imagine driving along the coastline in your convertible and the fresh ocean breeze stroking your face. The message behind Streetlights is a bit more bittersweet. It is about being on the go all the time chasing your dream, while being torn between home and the road. It’s this feeling of being constantly caught in the middle between your passion and your love.
Roll The Dice
Roll The Dice is all about the excitement of meeting someone for the first time. The temptation and attraction creates the impression that everything is possible in that moment. If you believe it hard enough, you could roll the dice and win the big prize, but you will never know until you try it. It has everything a rock song needs: the raunchy guitar solo, the rolling bass, the choir, and the raspy, sultry lead vocals.
Interstate Bridge
This is a ghost story about the Vancouver’s (WA) missing mayor. On Sunday, Oct. 17, 1920, G. R. Percival (1860-1920) disappears after a stroll through the city and across the Interstate Bridge over the Columbia River. His body will be found more than a month later hanging from a tree in dense woods on Hayden Island, located in the river between Vancouver and Portland. In an unlikely coda, he becomes known as the Interstate Bridge Ghost. The I-5 was one of the bridges the band had to cross every morning driving from Portland to the studio in Vancouver. After finding a book about Vancouver ghost stories, the band decided to pay tribute to the city.
Summer of Love
Summer of Love celebrates the fleeting moments of a summer fling. Maybe someone you met during your holiday at the French Riviera or someone you danced with at a festival. It is about brief encounters full of hope though hard to grasp like sand running through your fingers. It is about the woman, that is everything and nothing. The song takes you through a roller coaster full of joy, regret, anticipation and doubt until it takes you for one last spin, chanting Summer of Love. It is a glorification of long-gone summers and a last hurrah before autumn arrives.
