Pernice Brothers - The World Won't End

  by Geraint Jones

published: 17 / 12 / 2001

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Having elected to release a pair of solo projects in the meantime, ‘Chappaquiddick Skyline’ and ‘Big Tobacco’ respectively, Joe Pernice has at last seen fit to release the bona fide sequel to the Pernice Brothers exceptional debut ‘Overcome By Happiness’, which was a benchmark in mournful, orchestral pop and one of the best albums released in 1998. Joe Pernice possesses one of the distinctive and emotive voices around. His whispered, almost fractured delivery of his cryptically dark lyrics, deceptively entwined amidst lush strings and hooks that get so deep they almost hurt, deliver a sucker punch that should leave all but the most cynical and resilient reeling from its effect. Joe Pernice honed his impressive talent over several years with the much-missed Scud Mountain Boys, who were relatively early mainstays of the alt. county scene before their demise in 1997. Whilst the Pernice Brothers line-up may have fluctuated a little since their inception, Joe Pernice has consistently assembled a cast of exemplary musicians who are capable of fleshing out his material, none more so than his long-term accomplice Thom Monahan who also co-produced the album. Whilst the lyrics may be relentlessly downbeat, the arrangements are so utterly uplifting in contrast that you may feel a pang of guilt as you sing along with Pernice tales of suicide, death, bitterness and regret. Misery has never sounded better and Pernice proves that you don’t have to be morose to be miserable. Ultimately though Pernice must have a sense of humour. Check out tis choice of knitwear on the inner sleeve, so perhaps he’s just playing with our emotions. Or not. Either way as long as the Pernice Brothers are around it’s easy to believe that the world really won’t end and that Pernice can continue to intoxicate us with his despicably catchy songs for many dark days to come.

Track Listing:-

1 Working girls (Sunlight shines)
2 7:30
3 Our time has passed
4 She heightened everything
5 Bryte side
6 Let that show
7 Shaken baby
8 Flaming wreck
9 The ballad of Bjorn Borg
10 Endless supply
11 Cronulla breakdown

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