Various Eggs are a relatively new indie rock group from right here in RVA. Having released their debut EP, Don’t Expect Much From Others, late in 2013, the group recently went on a brief Valentine’s Week tour that they aptly christened the Love Sick/Sick Of Love Tour.
Various Eggs are a relatively new indie rock group from right here in RVA. Having released their debut EP, Don’t Expect Much From Others, late in 2013, the group recently went on a brief Valentine’s Week tour that they aptly christened the Love Sick/Sick Of Love Tour. Taking the band to Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Philly, the tour ended with the group appearing on WRIR’s British Breakfast radio show, right here in RVA. At the request of British Breakfast DJ Gene Pembleton, Various Eggs added a cover of a British artist to their set of original tunes, choosing to perform PJ Harvey’s “Angelene,” which opens her 1998 album Is This Desire?
Various Eggs has an unusual, shifting lineup that revolves around singer/guitarist LJ Rafalko and drummer Tricia Kupek. They do sometimes work with vocalist Julie Bosak, so the band had the option to utilize female vocals on this cover of a female artist. Instead, though, Rafalko handled the lead vocal himself, lending an unexpected twist a song whose lyrics appear to be written from the viewpoint of a prostitute who fears she’s being stalked by a menacing male figure that may be death or the devil, but certainly means her harm. Explaining why Various Eggs covered the song, Rafalko says, “It appealed to us because it’s a song from a breakup album and features many references and quotes from Nick Cave songs in the lyrics.” He added, “It’s also a great song.”
The Various Eggs version of “Angelene” cannot accurately be called darker than Harvey’s suitably dark original, but the stripped down guitar-drum arrangement combined with Rafalko’s unadorned vocal to remove a great deal of the layered melody present in Harvey’s original recording. The result is haunting and memorable, certainly not the kind of thing that will help your morning tea go down smoothly. And yet, you won’t soon forget it.
