For a period in the late '80s, Transvision Vamp seemed to be everywhere in the U.K. Mainly, it was lead singer Wendy James and her sex kitten image on the magazine covers. Velveteen was the band's second release of their Blondie-like bubblegum rock. It will never go down as a great album, but Velveteen has its own definite charms. James' vocals are hardly impressive, but they are endearing in a childlike manner. It's a style that fits the simple fun of the lyrics on the stomping "Baby I Don't Care" and the new wave rocker "I Want Your Love." It's hard not to want to scream along with the choruses. "The Only One" is hyperkinetic with a slight disco touch. The lack of ideas catches up to them as the second half starts to sound familiar, but they close things strongly with the epic-length title track. Strings lend a bit of drama to a song that shifts from pummeling, tribal rock to dreamy pop to garage band rock to quasi-lounge music with James giving one of her better vocal performances. Velveteen is an enjoyable and effortless listen. ~ Tom Demalon, All Music Guide
Nick Christian Sayer (Group Member), Neill King (Engineer), Philip Bagenal (Engineer), Bullitt (Sleeve Art), Duncan Bridgeman (Mixing), Zeus B Held (Mixing), Wendy James (Group Member), Simon Metcalfe (Assistant Engineer), Duncan Bridgeman (Producer), Zeus B Held (Producer), Stewart Day (Assistant Engineer), Duncan Bridgeman (Programming), Richard Sullivan (Assistant Engineer), Richard Niles (String Arrangements), Ben Kape (Engineer), Dave Guy Parsons (Group Member), Michael Butterworth (Assistant Engineer), Tex Axile (Group Member), Ashworth (Photography), Duncan Bridgeman (Arranger)
Velveteen is the second album from UK pop/rock band Transvision Vamp. The album was released in 1989, a year after their debut album Pop Art. Velveteen produced such hits as 'Baby I Don't Care' which reached number 3 in the UK and Australia. Velveteen went on to peak at #1 on the UK album charts in 1989 and over in Australia, Velveteen became the 39th highest selling album of the year (Pop Art was #25).
A video was released to accompany the album. Entitled The Velveteen Singles, it featured the videos for all four singles released from the album, as well as "'behind the scenes' footage".
