The General Excellence of Joe Pernice & Co.

A while ago I wrote and posted a song by Joe Pernice for the simple sake that I loved his stuff. But now I've got cause to post again because, while there's no brand new album in sight they are getting ready to release a live DVD called Nobody's Watching. which can preordered at their store (you can buy all their stuff there).

I've been thinking alot about Joe Pernice lately, not in the least because he was such an ardent Kerry supporter and did what he could from his perch of minor indie rock stardom to get out the good word. He's also a huge Bosox fan and, I'm sure, was overjoyed to see his boys break the curse and win some rings. He actually penned a song inspired by Manny Ramirez during the run up to the World Series. I think you can still purchase if for a dollar at Pernice Brothers.

Pernice has consistently produced some of the best, most intelligent pop music under various guises over the years. Originally his band Scud Mountain Boys (who I've mentioned here before and if you haven't looked into them shame on you) gave us one of the best albums of the 90's in Massachussets. Unfortunately the Scuds were shortlived, but Joe went on to make progressively better and better albums under the monikers Pernice Brothers, Big Tobacco, and Chappaquidick Skyline (I think I misspelled that). His most consistent output has been under Pernice Brothers. All the albums have been produced by PB bassist Peyton Pinkerton, each getting more notice than the last. At this point I'd call the Pernice Brothers critical darlings, they're just waiting for everyone else to notice. Joe's songwriting has wavered between orchestrated chamber pop to alt-country to straight ahead guitar pop filled with echoes of The Smiths, Elvis Costello, and Matthew Sweet.

Joe Pernice and his various iterations (particularly Pernice Brothers) are so good that I feel like it's my duty to convince everyone to buy his stuff. If you've never gone out and bought anything I've recommended here (and I hope you have), this is the stuff that's worth the effort. Here's a butt load of Pernice in various guises:

From the Pernice Brothers album Yours, Mine, & Ours:

Baby In Two

From the Pernice Brothers album Overcome By Happiness:

Overcome By Happiness

From the Pernice Brothers album The World Won't End:

Our Time Has Passed

From Big Tobacco (a one off side project from Joe Pernice):

Bum Leg

From Scud Mountain Boys Massachussets:

Grudge Fuck