Pernice Brothers: Goodbye, Killer
Joe Pernice is one of the more prolific song writers of his generation. He has fronted bands like Scud Mountain Boys, Chappaquiddick Skyline, and Pernice Brothers. In addition to all that song writing, he has written a semi-autobiographical novel about the Smiths’ 1985 album titled Meat is Murder. He also released a novel called It Feels So Good When I Stop in 2009. So the man knows how to keep busy. To keep keeping busy, the Pernice Brothers release their sixth studio album, Goodbye, Killer.
Goodbye, Killer finds Pernice’s song writing as strong as ever. The album’s first single “Jacqueline Susann” stands out. The track’s steady electric guitar strumming drives the song while organ plays the lead part. But the song’s real story is Joe’s lyrics. Pernice lusts after a literate girl saying that he “wants to be a book in her hand”. He sprinkles the song with literary references. The song title is a reference to the author of Valley of the Dolls but the song’s chorus also mentions author Ford Maddox Ford.
Pernice gets snarky on “We Love the Stage”. The track is an O Brother, Where Art Thou?-style alt-country tune. As the title suggests, the song is about playing live. Pernice croons “we even like the smart-ass kids that shout out ‘Free Bird’ in my face”, a common annoying occurrence that every musician experiences at some point in their life. It is these little details in Pernice’s lyrics that make his lyrics both insouciant and interesting.
As a whole, Goodbye, Killer finds Pernice in his finest form. The Pernice Brothers have released several critically successful albums, but Goodbye, Killer may go down as their best. It holds all the qualities you want from the Pernice Brothers: catchy alt-country tunes with engaging lyrics, what more could you want?
Rating: 8.3/10
MP3: Pernice Brothers “Jacqueline Susann”
Buy: iTunes or Insound
Pernice Brothers: Goodbye, Killer
