Pernice Brothers - Goodbye, Killer (Ashmont Records)
Previously I seem to remember the Pernice Brothers for having a rather slow approach to their songs, as if they had thought long and hard about each word, and wanted to deliver their songs at a pace that allowed for their angst to show through in every line. That is, if memory serves me well (I met Joe once, and he is a thoroughly nice guy, but such angst back there in the late 90’s, such worry!).

Don’t get me wrong, there has always been plenty of spirit running through the music, it’s just that they made their songs without any abandon. On this latest album we don’t get one of those slower numbers until track 4, “Not The Loving Kind”. Prior to this, it’s much more carefree, joyous even, and then it picks up again in a similar vein with “Something For You”, which is so lively (for want of a better word) it could easily have been lifted from the latest Teenage Fanclub album. Yes, it’s that good, which is more or less indicative of the whole album. You get the same complex songs from the pen of Joe Pernice, but he has decided that a touch of vivacity might be a new avenue to proceed down. The guitars are more vigorous than ever before, for instance the solo on “Fucking And Flowers” could be Richard Thompson at his most extreme - yes, again, it’s that good! And I seem to remember that back in the days of the Scud Mountain Boys there were moments of pure guitar that left you hoping for more.

So, this is pure Pernice, with the added layer of gay abandon on top, which is more or less damn near perfect. Four year’s on from 2006’s Live A Little, Joe and company appear to be doing just that.
www.myspace.com/pernicebrothers

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