Perry Blake - California
Despite causing quite a stir amongst the music press Europe-wide for his
eponymously entitled debut in 1998, along with further acclaim for its
equally moving sequel a year later, Perry Blake's unconventional talent
has remained virtually unnoticed, particularly in his native Ireland and
in the UK. After being dropped by Polydor, Blake's distinctive
melancholic delivery and moody song writing were picked up by French
independent, Naïve. And thankfully so.
On his third record, Blake has been given the opportunity to expand on his unique marriage of
painfully exposed lyrics and sumptuous melodies. Where his last album,
'Still Life', took an even darker route than the first, 'California',
adopts a more upbeat approach. Here we see Blake
incorporating elements of seventies soul in a more luxuriant
production, whilst still making use of the film-score style arrangements
that were used to such poignant effect before. The melodic sense and
rhythm that were more noted on the first album are prevalent here, along with the bleak lyrics, even starker against the new uplifting
arrangements.
The album opens sedately with a wistful piano
arrangement and haunting guitar, as an introduction to 'This Life'.
Straight away, Blake chills the listener with his vocal,
singing almost falsetto in the plaintive verses, with a
harmony of resonate overdubs during the chorus. His voice and treatments recall the romanticism of his heroes, David Bowie, Leonard
Cohen and Nick Drake.
It is the following track that really cuts an
emotive line. "Don't stop slipping away", Perry mourns whilst the
Hammond organ, Motown bass groove and bright brass, push through the
lamenting title song. Third up is the ironically buoyant 'Pretty
Love Songs', a summary perhaps, of the irony throughout the whole
work - "these pretty love songs, they're what keep us alive. And we
know they lie."
Other highlights include the delightful reggae dirge
of 'Road To Hollywood', drawing on the artifice of the California
life-style whilst reflecting on a
failed search for happiness. Ignoring the seemingly
out-of-place philosophy of 'How Can The Knower Be Known', the
overlooked single, 'Ordinary Day' is the next standout, with its
sliding film-noire string arrangement and accompanying pizzicato
effects.
Venus Of The Canyon is an ideal conclusion, a combination of
soulful electonica with a vocal choir and luscious string production.
The whole arrangement and Blake's delivery is very reminiscent of the aforementioned Nick Drake. A church choir interchanges almost imperceptibly with the
phrases 'Silent night' and 'solitude' towards the end, whilst the guitar
collects pace and the film score feel builds, filling the track with intoxicating drama.
If there was any justice Perry Blake would
have been acknowledged by the Anglo-Irish contingent already, but under a
small continental label it is doubtful 'California' will
reach the bigger audience, despite some of its pop-soul qualities. His slightly cynical melancholy doesn't fit between the jolly, paper-thin love songs of his peers. But as a contemporary conveyance of the real-life pain of love's loss, 'California' is the genuine article.
Elbow - The take off and landing of everything 
