Sean McVerry - STEVE

2025 • BETTER COMPANY RECORDS • INDIE / POP / ALTERNATIVE

92/100

Every now and then, you stumble upon an album that feels like a hidden secret, one so brimming with feel-good energy you can’t believe it isn’t beloved by the masses. Yet, no one is talking about it. So, consider this my civic duty: I’m sharing an album you need to know. That album is Steve by Sean McVerry.

Released on Brooklyn’s Better Company Records (label started by San Fermin’s Ellis Ludwig-Leone and Allen Tate), Steve is McVerry’s fourth solo effort, adding to his work with the band TELECOMS. From the moment I first heard it, this album has been living in my head rent-free, oozing a vibrant energy from start to finish. Its creation story is just as compelling. The album was born from a self-imposed challenge where McVerry and other Brooklyn musicians—including members of We Are Scientists, Au Revoir Simone, and Chairlift—would dedicate one day a week to writing as many songs as possible. Steve is the brilliant result of those creative pressures.

After a soft, crooning intro, the album bursts to life with “Disposable Income.” The track’s driving bassline and energetic breakbeats create a sharp, infectious contrast to the opener, perfectly captured by the lyric, “Don’t stop me now / I’m on a roll.” With its dynamic drum patterns and noodling guitar hooks, the song brings to mind the infectious energy straight from Vampire Weekend’s most recent album.

A constant throughout the record is McVerry’s soulful voice. Tracks like “Down Low” and “Artificial Light” showcase his smooth, commanding presence, while on “Covering My Eyes,” we hear that same voice in a more passionate and sentimental setting, beautifully supported by layered backing vocals.

What truly makes this album stand out are the choruses—so many of them are instantly memorable and stick with you long after the song ends. It’s the main reason I’m baffled that more people aren’t talking about this record. No track makes this case clearer than the single “Time as a Stage.” The energy is unmatched, and a prevalent retro vibe, reminiscent of Tom Petty, kicks in with the chorus’s repeated “get out” chants. If you need one song to introduce you to Sean McVerry, this is it.

So, tell everyone. Steve won’t be leaving my rotation anytime soon. Do your part and let people know who Sean McVerry is, because if we live in a world where The 1975 can be as massive as they are, there’s no reason McVerry shouldn’t be even bigger.

PLAYER COMP: ALPEREN ŞENGÜN

A gifted player who does it all, and there is absolutely no reason he is not a superstar, yet he still somehow gets slept on.