With a quintessentially quiet indie sound, Verboten brings us “Strange Rehab.” Featuring a steady drum machine without being too over the top on the early Nintendo synth sounds bouncing around the mix. There’s a strong Elliot Smith and Belle & Sebastian influence in Foster Powell’s vocal writing and delivery; high, rhythmic, and breathy. The lyrics seem to paint a picture of gratitude but are somehow cryptic and familiar at the same time. This is the first release and namesake of their upcoming album this spring.
“Strange Rehab” was the first song I recorded for the album and it felt like a mission statement, musically and lyrically. In writing it, I was trying to answer for myself why it is so often that people enjoy art more if they know the artist had some kind of dark and traumatic past. That can be a meaningful form of catharsis for both the artist and audience, but I was feeling like sometimes the media attention goes too far and damages the person making the art even further. This was what I was trying to get at in the song: if you suddenly make it in this business, are you really so lucky?” says
