Peter Lacey - Thru A Glass Brightly

  by Geraint Jones

published: 20 / 1 / 2002

---

Review

It’s a long way from California to West Sussex and I have no idea if Peter Lacey has ever been to the former in his life. He’s certainly got a few Beach Boys in his record collection though and on ‘Thru A Glass Brightly’, his 2nd album, there’s no discernible deviation from this previously documented point of reference. Recorded in his West Sussex loft studio, Peter Lacey, with only a modicum of help from additional musicians has crafted a perfectly acceptable facsimile of lush Beach Boys' pop. That’s not to damn the album completely with faint praise though, as Lacey is obviously a talented and resourceful musician and there are genuine moments of inspiration to be found here; his vocal arrangements, for example, are particularly fine. Lacey’s voice is occasionally reminiscent of Jackie Leven’s, who possesses one of the great though sadly under appreciated voices to be heard anywhere. Musically the album is also at times reminiscent of XTC’s own recent Beach Boys’ indebted Apple Venus Volume 1. If only Peter Lacey could emulate Andy Partridge’s wry lyricism – unfortunately the lyrics here are mostly unintelligible and a little on the pretentious side – ‘Thru A Glass Brightly’ might have made for a more memorable excursion. Admittedly putting your album out on a label called Pink Hedgehog is definitely a step in the right direction! Even so Peter Lacey may have sown the seeds of something here, which, perhaps by extending his circle of collaborators (a lyricist?) and by dispensing with his guitar (his six-string interludes veer perilously close to prog-rock for my liking) may see future recordings bear more bountiful fruit for the listener.

Track Listing:-

1 Thru A Glass Brightly
2 Inspiration
3 The Sparkle Room
4 Ellen Street
5 Melandro
6 The Tower
7 Kathy In Chiaroscuro
8 White World (Without Sound)
9 Sun Street
10 Fools and Kings
11 Cloud Gatherings
12 The So Long Song

Band Links:-

http://peterlacey.bandcamp.com/

Label Links:-

http://www.pinkhedgehog.com/
https://en-gb.facebook.com/Pink-Hedgeh
http://www.last.fm/label/Pink+Hedgehog
https://www.youtube.com/user/PinkHedge