Sunday, June 15, 2008
Posted on Fri, Jun 13, 2008
Quality efforts from locals and nationals alike
By Patrick Ferrucci, Register Entertainment Editor
The Peacock Flounders — “Hello Beautiful” (Thin Man Music): Riding a lead-guitar riff very similar to Social Distortion’s “I Was Wrong,” The Peacock Flounders’ “Apple Trees” is an urgent rock song, one that highlights the 10-tune effort that is “Hello Beautiful,” a stellar record from the New Haven quartet.
Featuring Kerry Miller, Ron Sutfin, Peter Krol and Sal Paradise, The Peacock Flounders brings a ton of experience to this record, years and years of working in such seminal local bands as Miracle Legion, Valley of Kings, The Swaggerts and more. The music is closer to Big Star than any of those other groups though, with Miller’s tunes providing a more melodic counterpoint to Sutfin’s amped-up, punk-inspired songs. The disc leads off with the title track, a dense, guitar-driven, rootsy song featuring Miller’s plaintive vocals.
Rarely do the guys move outside of its powerful two-guitar, bass and drums backbone, but “Lemon and a Lime” adds a little synth into the mix. And by keeping this simple, there are very few missteps on “Hello Beautiful.” The jangley, old R.E.M.-like “In the Inside” will have you singing along by its conclusion, while “Oh So Easy” sucks listeners in with an off-kilter lead guitar line and the oddly placed lap-steel. It’s a mess of tune, but it works beautifully, from the multiple guitar tracks to the out-of-nowhere harmony vocals.
If they added some bright keyboards, “Still be Mine” could be a Cars song. It’s got a catchy chorus and a totally killer lead-guitar part.
There’s nothing overly new and unique on “Hello Beautiful,” but it’s a blue-collar album featuring very good songwriting from scene veterans Miller and Sutfin. Paradise, now the frontman for Rope, doesn’t actually appear on the disc, but figures to be on hand for all future live shows. His presence should just add to what is already a persistent and quality live band. And the Flounders do a great job translating that live energy to record, never once sounding like a band that feels like tinkering with its sound. Simply put, “Hello Beautiful” is exactly what you’d expect from the quartet if you’ve ever seen them live, and that’s a big compliment. by Patrick Ferrucci, New Haven Register, Entertainment Editor.
The band The Peacock Flounders was formed in the winter of 2003 as a musical outlet for the original songs of New Haven area musicians Ron Sutfin and Kerry Miller. Together with guitarist Pete Krol and bassist Sal Paradise, the songs on the CD \"Hello Beautiful\" are guitar driven with a pop sensibility in the melodies. Kerry and Ron have been playing their original music together since 1980. Their influences are rooted in the British and US punk rock of the late 70\'s and early 80\'s. Alex Chilton, Big Star, Replacements, Sex Pistols, Generation X, The Stranglers, Todd Rundgren, U2, The Clash, Wipers, Dead Boys, X, Black Flag, Gun Club, Jeffrey Lee Pierce, Naked Raygun, Smithereens, The Damned were favorites. Ron and Kerry\'s band \"Valley of Kings\" album \"Victory Garden\" reached #7 on the national CMJ new music charts in 1985 and they were the original bass player and drummer for New Haven Connecticut band Miracle Legion, playing on their early recordings and first gigs. Their CD release party was at the \"World Famous\" Toad\'s Place in New Haven Connecticut. The album is receiving rave reviews: \'The Peacock Flounders\' \"Apples Trees\" is an urgent rock song that highlights the 10 tune effort that is \"Hello Beautiful\", a stellar record from the New Haven Quartet\" by Patrick Ferrucci, Entertainment Editor, New Haven Register. \"Ten tracks of solid power pop... plenty of substance and creativity\" by Mike Sembos, New Haven Advocate. The CD was recorded at producer Ron Sutfin\'s Wildwood Ranch Recording Studio in Durham, Connecticut and is being released in conjunction with Meriden, Connecticut based indie label Thin Man Music and New Haven indie web site Independisc.
Read more...