In the Darwinian egosystem of rock ‘n' roll, survival depends on musical instincts, and they don't come any keener than those of The Verve Pipe. Since the early 90's, this formidable alliance of alpha males has thrived by making music their way, with two indie and two RCA albums to their credit. Some observers have had trouble categorizing The Verve Pipe's music, mostly because the band itself has steadfastly refused to be pinned down. However, fans have long understood what The Verve Pipe is all about: great songs performed from the heart. That same prescription holds true on UNDERNEATH, the band's new RCA album, and their most upbeat to date.

Produced by Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne, Ivy), UNDERNEATH marks the latest step in the band's personal evolution, the result being the band's most accessible and pleasingly immediate collection of songs yet. "The intention always was to raise the bar, melodically and lyrically," says lead singer/guitarist/songwriter Brian Vander Ark, who was thrilled by the fruitful partnership between band and producer. "This is such a volatile band, we needed someone like Adam, who wasn't so much a father figure as a brother figure who would make fun of us when we started to argue."