Van Vernon’s new “Rubicon” EP will leave listeners captivated and amazed. This self-produced EP was recorded, mixed, mastered and produced in Van Vernon’s farmhouse in the Swiss Alps. Lukas Stalder played the glorious electric guitars and lapsteel, but all other instrumentation including drums, and all writing is credited to Van Vernon. This EP is a teaser for what is soon to come, a full length album titled “For Personal Reasons,” that is set to be out on March 25th, 2025. Rock the Pigeon is excited to dive in to “Rubicon.”
Van Vernon’s soulful voice opens the EP with “The summer’s Daughter.” A minor chord strikes, and his tender tones fill the speakers. The bass guitar weaves seamlessly into the space between delicate percussive moments. Lukas Stalder lends his magical touch on lead guitar, bending notes and emotions alike, setting a dramatic tone for the EP from the very first track. The listener is drawn in, compelled to wonder what will emerge next from the speakers.
This folk song features a captivating chorus paired with poetic lyrics. After the chorus concludes, an electric guitar solo takes the spotlight, delivering tasteful harmonics and momentarily elevating the energy before the somber vocals return to carry the tune to its conclusion. As the opening track, it serves as an excellent introduction to the record, establishing the emotional tone while highlighting the diverse talent in instrumentation and songwriting.
“I believe that as soon as I publish a song, it no longer belongs to me. The listener makes it his own song and finds his very own story in it. As an artist, I only initiate this process. I also try to avoid autobiographical material. I don’t want to bore the listener and I wouldn’t be able to bear playing autobiographical stuff live over and over again.”- Van Vernon
“The summer’s Daughter” transitions seamlessly into the next track, “Potholes,” with its warm piano and acoustic bass tones. Here, we experience a softer, more introspective side of Van Vernon’s voice, relaxed yet brimming with emotion. The lyrics feel like the scattered thoughts of a cold winter’s night, capturing the journey of a character navigating a flawed, icy road riddled with potholes. Beneath it all lies a deep grief, a lifetime weighed down by broken dreams. A tasteful guitar solo adds a hauntingly beautiful touch to this chilling piece. Following the solo, the song takes an experimental turn. The band falls silent, and Van Vernon whispers his poetic lyrics: “Emotional void, tired of toys, the lake is full of ice, the stories they told are boring and cold, corroded by mice.” This moment of quiet intensity gives way to a surge of energy, as the music builds again to bring the song to its stirring conclusion.
The energy and pace picks up for the 3rd track, “When I Fall.” This song feels like a classic rock song, with a moving bass line and catchy vocal melodies throughout. The overall energy of the song feels like a celebration and is a nice contrast to the mood of the previous song. Van Vernon is singing about someone he truly loves, someone that has changed his perspective on life, someone that he can call on and rely on when the going gets rough. On the chorus he sings “everything is getting under control, she’s like the sun, dancing across the floor, she is my call when I fall.” You can hear the love and joy in his voice on every note sung.
“We Need A Change” seems to be about someone that is challenging the love that Van Vernon has found. He wants to dismiss this person and not let them interfere with his happiness. The song plays in a minor key, with tasteful bluesy guitar strums that ring out, pouring even more intense energy into the track. A distorted guitar riff echos throughout the song, giving the record an additional sound and another dimension. The bridge of the song shifts to a major key, reminding listeners that we are all not the same, we all have different experiences and needs. We also all see the world differently. The lyrics are filled with wisdom and go: “Not everybody’s love, is everybody’s light, not everybody’s pain, is everybody’s fight, world unseen king and queen, wake up fast forget the past, love is more than we have ever watched on screen.”
A deep bluesy acoustic guitar drives the introduction of “The moon is not a light.” The lapsteel makes a grand performance throughout the song. The drums and bass kick in, the song builds, and then the band slows down again for Van Vernon’s voice to come to center. The chorus section of the song begs Van Vernon’s love interest to come over and light up his life, saying that the moon is not enough, but she is.
The warm acoustic guitars make another return for “Rubicon.” This song has an excellent vocal delivery that is very tasteful and soulful. The lapsteel is a central piece of this song, adding even more energy to the song. This song seems to be about how lost and misguided society is. Van Vernon sings: “The world is turning upside down, a challenge not to drown. we’re getting older, wiser, colder, the human race has lost its crown.” Although this EP ends on a sad note, it’s still a great sound to close on because it is the most laid back track on the EP.
“Rubicon, the title track of the new EP is a song with emotional depth paired with a joy of playing and a unique voice that transforms the lyrics into pure poetry. Admittedly sad and stirring poetry. Rubicon is a contemporary piece of music that can best be described as “poetic folk”. – Van Vernon
Listen to the EP on Spotify now:
More about Van Vernon in his own words: “How much do you want for that?” I asked my schoolmate, pointing to an old, dusty guitar hanging on the wall of his room. I was 15 when I bought it for 50 bucks. That was my start in music. Over the years, music faded more and more into the background. Except for one day in June 2015 when I literally woke up on a hike over the Sertig Pass. (The song Forty Five on the debut album “For personal Reasons” tells the story) I had to turn 45 and remove a lot of nonsense from my world view to realize that my “calling” is music. So I came back with a plan and lots of song ideas and got to work. Of course, and luckily, I had completely underestimated what it meant to produce music. If I had known what hardships and detours would be necessary to reach my goal, I wouldn’t have set out at all. But I did, and I went through with it. Especially in the last two years I was very productive and produced two albums in our little cottage in the Alpstein mountains. The first “for personal reasons” is an intimate and rather folky album with autobiographical traits. The second, “Welcome and Goodbye”, is more complex and rockier but no less personal. I wanted to bring an emotional depth to both, which is reflected in both the music and the lyrics. I hope that I have succeeded. But see for yourself.
Social media links: Instagram / Facebook/ Artist Website
Written by Ryan Cassata
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