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Live Review
by SashaS
28-4-2004
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| Pete Murray: profile of a performing act |
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Live: Pete Murray
Borderline, London
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
Pete Murray and the art of feelgood
An Aussie rocker saved my life last night! Depressed, facing a divorce, having just flown in from a funeral, all around prospects - less than a zero*, this band simply blew all the cobwebs away and recalled the long lost positive vibe of a closing scene from the Monty Python’s version of ‘The Passion Of The Christ’, better known as ‘The Life of Brian’. The saving songs come from an album, ‘Feeler’, released last July on their native continent.
Yep, this band - fronted by the man it is named after - is a helluva pleasure machine. They start with Glenn Miller-gone-Huey Lewis that goes Uriah Heep [or it could be ELP as the keyboardist appears to be a Keith Emerson fan - History Ed] by the second song! It then proceeds through the lexicon of music to include everything from Deep Purple to Frank Sinatra to The Doors and then funky-beats without ever sounding like a covers band of Skyhook [an Oz band that had a hit with 'Women In Uniform' back in 1979 - Hysterical Ed] kind they strangely recall. This is serious feel-good time, provided in an under appreciated form known as a ‘bar-band’ but this ain’t your usual ‘Outback’ variety; these are the first rate entertainers.
The man’s man of a front man Murray has looks of a surfing ‘Knight Rider’ and dishes songs like they were some robust tea-cakes. But, the singer/guitarist also knows the power of subtle, ballady, “for the ladies”, if we were to be sarcy. But, his mega-hit ‘So Beautiful’ - four weeks at Number One back home - displays why it is so. It just hits the emotional note.
Truthfully, there were too many of this type of tracks for our liking, as well as mid-paced songs, although the overall feel wasn’t tainted by the lack of their obvious forté, the rock-out! After almost an hour they call a halt but return for an encore they use, over a funky phrase, to introduce the band members individually with miniscule ego-trips, i.e. solo-snippets, for a serious work-out. Murray remained on his own for a version of Yazoo’s ‘Only You’ the audience ends singing word/pitch/tempo perfect without Pete!?
Alas, Pete Murray has no gimmicks in this world of ours known as ‘hype-planet’ for a quick elevation to the ante-Parthenon of Deities-por-momento: they simply have music. We hope it is enough because the other members look like rescued from a Guess Who [an ancient Canadian band - Hexed Ed] guestlist where there had been some heavy meshing. You know this lot has seen/played through some bar brawls and, probably, partaken in few that adds to their rough'n'ready pop-rockers.
If you want pure fun and no posturing-BS, Pete Murray is your man. It can gladden your life, unless save it…
~ ~ ~
* Extreme fictitious licence, by the way - Ed Chief.
SashaS
28-4-2004
Pete Murray’s album ‘Feeler’ is released in May by Columbia
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