Eden Vera
It’s a conglomerate of things. We just jam.” – ROD, lead man
Based in Puerto Rico, Eden Vera is composed by four members: lead singer and guitarist Rod, bassist Josue, lead guitarist Manolo, and drummer Joe. Although the band recently emerged from the suburbs of Guaynabo and Bayamón, they have entered the local music scene with a versatile approach that has allowed them to gradually transform the experience of local band shows. Granted by lead singer and guitarist Rod, the name of Eden Vera serves as a metaphorical representation of a majestic woman whose attractive physique immediately makes one feel infatuated.
From post-punk rock to funky alternative pop rock, it’s easy to navigate through an ambiguous-alternative field when trying to label the band under a specific genre. Regardless of their ethereal unconventional sound provided by the frequent use of effect pedals, Eden Vera’s music follows a fundamental structure that illustrates the harmonic bases of pop music. Synchronically, melodic phrases in the guitar and bass are combined with funky rhythmic patterns in the percussion to create a progressive sequence in the band’s varied sound.
The indirect messages sent through Eden Vera’s polysemous lyrics act as a satire on topics that are traditionally recognized in pop music as cliché, such as love songs. The meaning behind the exploration of this concept is mainly done to advocate the audience’s appeal towards pop music while questioning the reason for its worldwide commerciality. Eden Vera’s views on social anxiety and love are portrayed subjectively in their lyrics, thus, allowing the listener to independently search and ultimately reach their own conclusion on the meanings of each song.
When asked about their influences, although they agreed on artists such as Thom Yorke, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Led Zeppelin, and Warpaint, the one answer they all concurred with came directly from lead guitarist, Manolo:
“So far, I haven’t really tried to influence myself with anyone. I want it all to be as unique as possible. Sometimes I even distance myself and not listen to music because I know that if I do, subconsciously, I’ll play riffs that I’ve already heard. So I ask myself, ‘what do I want to do’ and ‘what am I listening to in my mind’?”
Even though the band is relatively new, alike many other emerging artists, Eden Vera’s main goal is to expand both artistic and commercially. As we spoke even further on topics such as the public and the commerciality of their music, lead singer and guitarist Rod mentioned, “our music proposal is very diverse, we want to appeal to people who know what they’re listening to as well as those who enjoy simple things”. When referring to the public, lead guitarist Manolo commented, “it’s really all about the scene and where we are. It’s up to the public, whether or not they’ll let us affect them”.
In addition to having recorded their first single, “The Theatre Scene”, these self-taught musicians have played in several local venues and festivals throughout their inaugural year as Eden Vera. It is no doubt that whatever these guys come up with in a near or far future is something that will most likely blow our minds in the most unimaginable way. You may listen to Eden Vera’s The Theatre Scene on soundcloud, as well as follow them on Facebook.
Sadly, they had to part ways and are no longer performing.
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