IGNITE YOUR YEAR: Discover The Unstoppable Force Behind Pictoria Vark’s Debut Single ‘Nothing Sticks’!
Sweet serendipity! I’ve got my hands on the scoop of the season, and it’s all about the scorching hot newcomer, Victoria Vark, aka Pictoria Vark. This dynamo has unleashed a sophomore album that’s set to shatter the indie-rock scene: “Nothing Sticks”. And trust me, darling, this is the perfect springtime companion for your road trip, fueled by the soft-spoken guitar haze and emotional travelogues that’ll leave you breathless.
For those who missed the buzz, Victoria Vark is the 2022 debutante who turned heads with her debut album “The Parts I Dread”. But this time around, she’s elevated her game, and it’s a different story altogether. With “Nothing Sticks”, she’s like a barely-tamed wildflower, blooming in every direction.
Growing up as a suburban emo kid in New Jersey, she discovered her bassist side through the iconic Carol Kaye’s work on The Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds”. Today, she crafts her own bedroom-pop style, infused with a shy, wallflower-like vulnerability, but don’t be fooled – lurking beneath the surface is a sharp wit and a matter-of-fact candor. In “I Sing What I See”, she confesses: “I put my money on the wrong things… Ambulances and my broken strings… Or a thought that’s stupidly clinging.” Ah, join the club, I thought!
Vark’s world is one of indie-rock bliss, where home is wherever the floor is overnight, friends are the blank faces at the gig, and the past is whatever hangover memories linger. “I Pushed It Down” laments trying to make it in the band, waiting for someone to understand. There’s a relatable authenticity to it all, darling.
In “We’re Musicians” and “Other Things”, she masterfully employs the indie-rock hustle as a metaphor for romantic struggles. As she sings, “Every verse becomes a chorus/With each subsequent performance/I know you like I know the routine/I miss you most when you’re next to me.” It’s like she’s reflecting the chaotic day-to-day of playing in the band, and it’s a mirror image for anyone’s youthful upheavals, à la The Replacements’ “Left of the Dial”, The White Stripes’ “Little Room”, or Spoon’s “Small Stakes”.
Co-producing with the trusty duo of Bradford Krieger and Gavin Caine, Vark entered a real studio for this second album. The result? Magic. The “Lucky Superstar” track is a shoegaze-filled dream, akin to Smashing Pumpkins’ “Today” era, while “San Diego” is a swooning ode to the transience of youth. Yes, this is the soundtrack to your rebellious teenage years, minus the angst.
In the end, “Nothing Sticks” is a poignant, relatable, and transcendent new chapter in the Victoria Vark saga. As she songlines, “Thank god for good days in bad luck/The times when both are getting fucked.” So, dear reader, join me in hoping she’ll keep searching for her places to belong – and that her heartache turns into an adventure worth joining.
Original Story https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/pictoria-vark-nothing-sticks-review-1235301340/
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