PESKY'S "An Effort To Do Good" is the first release from Kansas City's Closed System imprint: a big-hearted, open-minded label who have also made all the tracks from this album available for download in the hope that DJs and electronic-based musicians will use them in remixed/ sampled form.
All very generous, forward-thinking and commendable, but to be honest you'd do yourself a favour by taking PESKY for what they are: a cool US guitar-based trio with a penchant for catchy, (often under) three-minute tunes, only a quirk or two removed from great American power pop. Term used in the complimentary sense, incidentally.
Recorded on an 8-track ADAT in the band's basement rehearsal space, "An Effort To Do Good" brandishes an admirably live sound (despite the ocaasional, low-key keyboard texture or two) and features Pete Thomas (guitar/ vocals), Bob Stewart (bass/ vocals) and drummer Bob Moczydlowsky largely unadorned.
This is undoubtedly a good thing, too, as all the tunes (and most of 'em are pretty decent) get to the point quickly, say their thank-yous and leave the building, ensuring a pleasant taste remains. Indeed, it's worth noting that the two covers, "Candy" and "No-One Will Ever Love You" (both written by Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt) anything but dwarf the 10 originals. That PESKY relate and connect with someone like Merritt also demonstrates that this trio intend to pursue their line of enquiry into snappy, singular songwriting.
|
Musically, PESKY fall somewhere between the offbeat, but optimistic all-American outlook of, say Jonathan Richman's earlier Modern Lovers and very early, twangy guitar pop-era Cure circa "Three Imaginary Boys." Ostensibly, most of the tracks sound bright and positive, but certainly there are hidden depths to songs like "Apologize," "Bullets Sent Back" and the brief, yet obviously disappointment-riddled "Balancing Act" which suggest these guys carry the weight of experience on their young shoulders. Besides, you'll not hear a better music-biz-in-the-firing-line satire than "Coming True" all year.
"An Effort To Do Good" clocks in at a brief 29 minutes, but - like The Lemonheads' enduring "It's A Shame About Ray" - shows neat guitar pop often rightly deals with quality rather than quantity and PESKY here prove a half hour is plenty if you want to stay fresh and memorable.
|
