Californian folk rockers Venice are back with their follow-up to the amazing 'Spin Art' album.  I am not sure about the level of success the band enjoy outside of Holland, but they're are pretty big over here.  I myself have seen them perform about 8 times now, and each and every time I was impressed with the musical craftsmanship of this foursome, and the incredible optimism their music and personalities ooze.

Pat, Mark, Kip and Michael are a talented bunch.  They are clever songwriters, and all have a great voice.  And their voices are what makes Venice so interesting.  Their harmony vocals are amazing, not just on CD, but in a live situation as well.  Clever arrangements, and good singing go a long way, or so they prove.

All four of them have a great voice, but Kip and Mark steal the show.  Back in the 'Born And Raised' days I used to prefer Kip's lead vocals, but with 'Spin Art' and now 'Welcome To The Rest Of Your Life' I have grown to like Mark's soulful voice more and more.  To underline the fact that all four of them are great singers, both Pat and Michael get to sing leads on one song.  Pat sings "Language Of The Heart" and Michael sings "Unbreakable Heart".

Fifteen - generally short (single format) - songs are offered here, and there's a little something special for everyone who generally likes this musik.  The first single "Think Again" is a great opener and a great choice for a single IMO.  But they really have plenty of choice.  All songs are incredibly radio-friendly and I still can't understand how Venice have managed to 'avoid' success in their homeland.  Their qualities easliy equal bands like The Eagles or Jackson Browne but somehow a break-through hasn't happened yet.  Pity; I understand they haven't quit their day-jobs yet.

Thankfully that doesn't prevent them from frequently touring and playing live.  And I know they're not the only band having trouble getting their due 'back home'.  Rob Lamothe, Shannon Lyon, (Danny) Vaughn and countless more find their success in Europe instead of their respective native ground.

So I guess the Dutch can consider themselves 'lucky' to see so much of Venice.  Lucky, because "Welcome To The Rest Of Your Life" has all the familiar ingredients that make Venice such a cool band.  The catchy songwriting, stellar vocals, breathtaking harmonies ("Father Time" can eailsy competer with earlier vocal gems like "Family Tree" or "We're Still Here") and the excellent production (by Terry Manning, though I'm sure Michael has lived in the studio pretty much as well) make this record a worthy successor to both "Born & Raised" and "Spin Art".  Check out the band website to find out if they are playing anywhere near your home.  This is a band you simply have to watch perform at least once in your life.

Eef Vink