Tag: The Pearlfishers

The Pearlfishers and The Embryos

powerpopaholic
The Pearlfishers

The Pearlfishers “Making Tapes for Girls”

Scottish multi-instrumentalist and vocalist David Scott has an unusual talent as a composer and arranger for making what is a labor of love appear easy. Since the 1990s, under the direction of Scott, The Pearlfishers have been releasing excellent adult pop music in the vein of Neil Diamond, Todd Rundgren, and Brian Wilson. ‘Making Tapes for Girls’, their most recent album, continues in the same contemplative vein as 2019’s ‘Love and Other Hopeless Things.’

The topic reflects David’s deep appreciation for melancholy and breakup music; as the title track explores his need to share his favorite music on cassette tape mixes for girls. “I didn’t know how to say the right thing/so I left it to Joni and Paul,” he says. It’s a beautiful, wistful melody that then leads into “Kisses on the Window,” a bittersweet breakup song, that tugs at those same feelings.

Another gem, “Put The Baby In The Milk,” boasts great chord shifts akin to Carole King, with a gorgeous chorus. Other songs here take a few spins to sink in, but they do make a positive impression. Check out “Hold Out for a Mystic” and “The Word Evangeline.” While not everything hits, David’s unique lyrical spin and meticulous song construction make these tunes special. Highly Recommended.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik


The Embryos

The Embyros “Selling What You Want To Buy”

It’s only a few years from ‘National Absurdatory’ but this sounds like a new band to me. Tighter arrangements like the guitar rhythms and subtle spacey harmonies of “Fortunes” have replaced earlier loose, funky material. The power pop of “Frozen City” has a slight DIY feel, but it’s got some really sweet accents in the chorus, and then the style changes and it’s all ’90s Neo-Psychedelia with “Little Demon.” This is a great tune that has a vibe similar to early-era Dandy Warhols.

The band bounces around stylistically, but some songs stand out.  The ’80s-styled dance tunes “He’s A Hypocrite” and “Do The Donkey” are okay, but the band really shines on the melodic “Somehow She Knew” and the bass-lead melody “I’m a Man.” The moody jams “The Embyos Live” and the epic “Onandonandon,” which is over eight minutes long, serve as the album’s bookends. There are just enough gems here to earn “highly recommended” status.

Kool Kat Musik

The Pearlfishers and Sorethumb

powerpopaholic
The Pearlfishers

The Pearlfishers “Love and Other Hopeless Things”

It’s been five years since their last album, and Glasgow’s magnificent Pearlfishers return with another wonderful album. Lead singer-songwriter David Scott has always mined the rich vein of adult-oriented pop, with influences like Brian Wilson, Burt Bacharach and Laura Nyro. The title track out of the gate is a brilliant example of the rich melody Scott can produce, burnished by strings and brass. The combination of joy and sadness are a reoccurring theme, best heard on “Could Be A Street, Could Be A Saint” with the wistful refrain that “people are beautiful. So beautiful.”

Scott makes his lyrics both inspired and deeply personal. The autobiographical “Once I Lived In London,” starts with a simple acoustic guitar melody as he describes the memories of how he “went busking every day… cold and nervous, closed my eyes and kept believing.” That pastoral track and the wistful “You’ll Miss Her When She’s Gone” reminds me a little of Martin Newell’s recent nostalgia for youth. The charm of a show tune mixed with a little soul makes “You Can Take Me There” another winner. The music is permeated in rich details and each composition is delicately arranged. I vote this album most likely to make you tear up in 2019. Highly recommended.

Amazon

Sorethumb

Sorethumb “Sorethumb Remastered”

Back in the 1980’s Freddy Monday started his music career with a band out on Lindenhurst, Long Island. Sorethumb was a true product of its time, as the opening track “Not Ready For Love” is a “shoulda been” hit mix of Hall and Oats, Billy Joel, and Huey Lewis. The band played legendary bars and clubs all over Long Island and NYC: Oak Beach Inn, Right Track Inn, Kenny’s Castaway’s and The Bitter End to name a few.

Many of the songs are stylistically similar to Billy Joel circa Innocent Man. We also get a live track from Xenon nightclub (“She’s A Teazer”) and “Sentimental Heartache” definitely had hit potential. Unfortunately, the band ran into a streak of bad luck including numerous record deals that fell apart and a major label showcase that quickly descended into a fiasco. Sorethumb never got the fame it deserved, but if you are a fan of the era this is a true hidden treasure. Check it out!

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