by Charlie Bailey (@hectic_skeptic)
Deep in the confessional booth of a dilapidated church, “Hail Mary” is a prayer begging for change. Lingering vocals hang over a jangly cyclical riff on the first single from Webb Chapel’s Vernon Manner — the band’s tenth release in just four years. Starting as the solo project of singer/songwriter Zack Claxton, Webb Chapel operates like a workout of tearing apart songs— recontextualizing, rebuilding, and each time doubling down on the transient nature of the prolific project’s catalogue. Ushering in an era which cements the four-piece’s collectivity, the group thrives on elusivity and the inability to be categorized. Their new album Vernon Manner (not to be mistaken for 2024’s Vernon Manor) is out April 10th via Strange Mono with proceeds benefiting PAWS (Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society).
Sitting dead in the middle of the tracklist on the new album, “Hail Mary” is a welcome heady reprieve led by bassist/vocalist Rachel Gordon. The paradoxically groggy and poignant track is sandwiched in between an eclectic grab bag of energetic genreless haze like a brief moment of divine lucidity. With a spellbinding sense of intimacy “Hail Mary” moves through its unanswered recitations in isolation. Twinkles of dissonance and restraint permeate the track leaving you mesmerized. On an album that swings you up and down like a drugged-out pendulum, the solitude of “Hail Mary” only accentuates Webb Chapel’s knack for unpredictability. “Hail Mary” is exclusively premiering on Post-Trash, accompanied by a Webb Chapel created music video available for your streaming and viewing pleasure now.