Pernice Brothers’ latest release is poignant, moving
For all intents and purposes, these days the Pernice Brothers is essentially Joe Pernice. Back in the day, there was brother Bob and assorted co-horts from Northampton, MA where Pernice was based, but that was a long time ago. Pernice has called Toronto home for some time, but returns to his native Northeast for the occasional shows. It has been five years since the last Pernice Brothers album. The new Who Will You Believe breaks that dry spell.. It marks the Pernice Brothers’ debut for longstanding indie New West Records. Based on what these ears hear on this latest, it should be welcomed by Pernice Brothers fans far and wide. It is in the Ear Bliss spotlight this week along with the new album from masterful contemporary guitarist Julian Lage called Speak to Me. Let’s take a look.
Pernice Brothers
Who Will You Believe
New West Records It’s hard to believe that the Pernice Brothers as a recording entity has been at it for over 25 years. The band made its debut it 1998 with the highly recommended indie pop album Overcome by Happiness for trailblazing label and darling of the indie scene at the time, Sub Pop Records. Formed by Joe Pernice following the breakup of his previous band, Scud Mountain Boys, Pernice ditched the slow core alt country sounds of the Scuds for one with more pop appeal, hence, the Pernice Brothers was born. Over the years, the core of the band winnowed down to essentially Joe Pernice with various co-horts, including his brother Bob, joining him on the seven albums that followed Overcome by Happiness. Who Will You Believe is the latest album and ninth overall under the Pernice Brothers moniker and marks the band’s debut for highly regarded indie New West Records. Pop bliss, Pernice Brothers-style, happens immediately on Who Will You Believe with the jangly title track which leads off the album. From the poignant “How Will We Sleep” to the moving closing track “The Purple Rain” inspired by the death of two close friends (one of whom was indie artist David Berman of Silver Jews and Purple Mountains
fame) and a family member, the songs of Who Will You Believe confront many of the things we all think about as we age and the fuse of our own mortality gets shorter. “I try to stop myself every day and tell myself that one of these days is going to be my last. It sounds morbid on the surface, but I don’t think it is. It helps me live in the present, and for me that’s pretty uplifting. Once you get past the scary part, it’s actually a very peaceful feeling,” says Pernice. On Who Will You Believe, he approaches it all with the grace and wisdom of a fellow who has been around the block a few times and realizes in his own left-handed way that every day is a gift. Visit www.newwestrecords.com/ collections/pernice-brothers.
Julian Lage
Speak to Me
Blue Note Records Words are typically nowhere to be found on a Julian Lage album and his latest offering called Speak to Me is no exception. Put simply, Lage lets the fingers (on the strings of a guitar) do the talking and speak beautifully they do on this 13-track album. For Lage, it is all about tone and the masterful and wide-ranging guitarist finds the right stuff time and again on Speak to Me. Wanted to be just like his dad who also played guitar, Lage began playing guitar at age four. Credit his father who instead of buying his young son the usual acoustic guitar as many parents do, opted for an electric guitar instead. A child prodigy on the six-string, it set Lage on a journey that has resulted in multiple solo albums, not to mention accompaniment work on countless other records. Produced by Joe Henry (Bonnie Raitt, Rhiannon Giddens, Allen Toussaint, Mose Allison and more), Speak to Me features Lage in multiple settings from acoustic solo to duo to his usual trio set-up to full-on ensemble. It finds him flirting with everything from jazz to fusion to touches of twang to full-on skronk to contemporary folk to even a touch of surf. The album is at moments light as a feather in presentation, in others intricate and complex, but always feeling freshly improvisational at the same time. It is that quality that
bring together Lage and Henry. Says Lage in the accompanying press release, “Ever so discreetly, he would guide things.” He goes on to say, “Joe holds a space for things to happen. Sometimes that means getting everyone out of the way or protecting the tune from someone getting in the way. It’s like he had a forcefield around the project.” Speak to Me is all about space and letting see what happens. It is hard not to fall under Lage’s spell when his fingers get to moving on the guitar. Recommended. Visit www.bluenote.com or www.julianlage.com.
LIVE SHOTS:
Busy, busy, busy it continues to be on the live music front here in the Ocean State and beyond and here’s a sampling of upcoming shows and events to check out. Beginning in South County, Pump House Music Works (164 Kingstown Road) in Peace Dale presents Brotherhood performing an eclectic mix of pop, soul, R&B, and rock on Friday evening. Michelle Willson and The Vintage Rhythm and Blues Ensemble turn up the burners at the Pump House on Saturday evening. Sunday is the monthly potluck open mic starting at 5:30. Monday nights at the Pump House are the Uke jam and Tuesday evening is the weekly Old-time jam at 6 pm and an acoustic jam at 9. Wednesdays are an acoustic lounge and open mic hosted by Matt Fraza. The Ocean Mist in Matunuck hosts house favorites The
Ravers on Saturday night. Sunday Funday at The Mist features Steve Smith & The Nakeds starting at 4 pm. Also, don’t forget that every Thursday at The Mist is house band The Ocean Mistics and friends from 6-9 pm. Narragansett Café in Jamestown hosts The Boyz on Friday night and the partying sounds of the
Down City Band on Saturday night. CC & The Riders close the weekend with a Sunday afternoon show at 4 pm. In East Greenwich, the Greenwich Odeum hosts Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes on Friday night. Famed guitarist Al Di Meola brings his
The Electric Years show to the Odeum on May 5.
Courthouse Center for the Arts in West Kingston presents Billy Joel and Elton John tribute River of Dreams on Friday night.
Aztec Two-Step 2.0 returns on Saturday evening. Coming May 3 is Sean Chambers & the Savoy Brown Rhythm Section and Bruce Springsteen tribute Saints in the City are there on May 4. The Wood River Inn in Wyoming presents
Chestnut Mare on Friday evening. The Knickerbocker Music Center in Westerly (35 Railroad Ave) hosts Undercover Cameo on Friday night. Ward Hayden & The Outliers rock the Knick on Saturday evening and Nolan Leite plays a free show in the tap room on Sunday at 8 pm. Upcoming at The United Theatre in downtown
Westerly is
Brothers on May 10. To our North, Chan’s Restaurant in Woonsocket features Johnny Hoy & The Bluefish on Friday night. The swing sounds of Daryl Sherman and friends with her annual homecoming concert happens on Saturday night. The Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket presents Eric Clapton & Jeff Beck tributes Journeyman and
Beck-Ola on Friday night. Coming May 10 is Electric Light Orchestra tribute Evil Woman and the Doo Wop Project is there on May 11. The Blackstone River Theatre in Cumberland hosts Scotland’s premier traditional band
Tannahill Weavers on Saturday night at 8 pm. Multiple Canadian Folk Music Award-winning group Genticorum plays the traditional sounds of Quebec on May 5 at 7 pm. In Pawtucket, The Met Café plays host to Phish tribute Oblivious Fools on Saturday night. Sunday afternoon at 2 pm is the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame 2024 Induction Concert honoring Harry Allen, Shawnn Monteiro and Daryl Sherman. Monday night at the Met is EXTC led by XTC drummer Terry Chambers playing the music of XTC. Dirtwire is at The Met next Thursday night. Coming to The Strand
in Providence on May 4 is Lyle Lovett and Lisa Loeb: In Conversation and Song. Todd Rundgren brings his Me/We tour to The Strand on May 6. The Columbus Theatre
in Providence presents the experimentalist sounds of L’Rain on May 5. The Stone Soup at Music Mansion in Providence presents Sam Robbins
and Undercover Cameo
on Saturday evening. It’s a full weekend at Askew on Chesnutt Street in Providence with Christopher Paul Stelling and MaryElaine Jenkins on Friday night, the Mallett Brothers Band and Jamie McLean Band on Saturday. Sunday is a triple bill featuring IV and the Strange Band, Diablogato, and Driftwood Soldier. Finally, the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River presents Barnstar! on Friday evening. Darlingside is there next Thursday night and the Albert Lee Band come to The Narrows on May 9.
Dan Ferguson is a freelance music writer and host of The Boudin Barndance, broadcasting Thursday evenings from 6 – 9 pm on WRIU-FM 90.3 and streaming at WRIU on all major platforms.