Perry Serpa “Laying Low in the Highlands”
Like many musicians, Perry Serpa went to work when COVID hit, and this album is the result. Opening with the instrumental “Out Of Purel” kinda says it all, I think. The time of isolation allows Serpa’s sparse chamber pop to focus on how events felt in 2020, and it offers a sobering view on loss and confusion.
The darkness of “Shadow Of The Delacorte,” feels like a walk through empty streets, and jazz-inflected “I Got A Fever” is a compelling dual-meaning tune. The cover of the Gilbert O’Sullivan nugget “Alone Again (Naturally)” fits here like a glove, and it’s not all gloom as “Now I’m Not So Sure” is a hopeful gem with a touch of soul. Not everything here is as catchy either, but there is enough variety to make this a good representation of the time we were in. Check it out.
The Bablers “Psychadilly Circus”
An accomplished group of Finnish musicians, The Bablers are songwriter/vocalist Arto Tamminen (bass, drums, guitars,
keyboards, cello, percussions, vocals), Janne Haavisto (drums, vocals), Pekka Gröhn (bass, keyboards, vocals), and Hannu Pikkarainen (guitar, vocals). The opener is a Lennonesque ballad “Love Is Everything!” which signals a decidedly retro direction, from there the title track brings more energy, and despite fuzzed-out (unintelligible) vocals, the rhythm is simply infectious.
“Queen Of Yesterday” is a lonely character study, a successful hybrid of “Elenor Rigby” and Pink Floyd’s “Have A Cigar.” The power-pop sound comes out on the jangling “I Hope It Wouldn’t Rain Tomorrow,” a terrific single, and “All Because of You” is a familiar, yet heartfelt ballad that swells up during the chorus. From there it goes off in different directions, some interesting (“Angry Young Man”) and others not so. The production is crisp and clean and allows the music to shine, some additional gems include “Walking On A Sunny Beach” and “When You Were Growing.” While it could’ve used some editing, with 15 tracks, there is enough to pick through to make this one highly recommended.
