The Thousand Pities

Some of the most passionate and memorable music came out of the ‘80s and ‘90s. The list of iconic artists and hit songs are too massive to list here but suffice to say that they will live forever in the minds and hearts of many of us. I was fortunate enough to be part of the original scene through both of those formative decades. I got to witness the magic that was made from musicians that have since faded into whatever obscurities we all eventually face. But often there is a resurrection, a rebirth of musicians and songs that are just too strong to disappear from our conveyor belt music scene.

That thought brings me to this next Shoreworld find called The Thousand Pities. The Thousand Pities are comprised of some of the best players associated with those heady days of “alternative” sound. The band is formed around the songwriting prowess of Matthew Davis, former frontman of the Massachusetts band The Vestrymen. The Vestrymen were on Absolute A Go Go Records and garnered plenty of college airplay and printed press in their time. They toured or shared the stage with Aimee Mann’s Til Tuesday, Robyn Hitchcock, Green Day as well as Belly. Davis packed it in around 1994 to pursue what we musicians call “normal” stuff.

However, as all musicians know, you can’t keep a good song down, and in 2006 Davis tore off the cover and started up the machine again, recruiting a mix of old and new band mates here in New Jersey for what would become The Thousand Pities. The culmination of that gathering is their latest release titled Believe In Sound, an eclectic mix of songs that grapple with grown up subject matter and do so with a beautiful spread of exuberant and youthful sounds that bring you back to a time when rock and roll was turning a brand new corner.

Believe In Sound is full of analog goodness. Jangly guitars chime in unison with deep-toned pianos and organs while drums and bass crack, simplistic and metered. While organic in nature, the overall sound is still edgy and rebellious, bringing me back to those great live show times at Patrick’s in New Brunswick, CBGB’S in New York and the scary darkness of The Dover Showplace in good ole’ Dover, NJ. Produced by Davis, the disc also gets a boost from none other than Mark Alan Miller (The Pernice Brothers, Lloyd Cole, Dinosaur Jr, J. Mascis, Thurston Moore.)

Some of the more interesting cuts on the disc are “What If Everyone Is Wrong,” an ode to self-discovery, love and life’s continuing quandaries. Layered in the colorful and fuzzy coats of guitarist Michael Carlucci, the melodic chores are thematic carried out under reverbed-toned slide lines and steady bass and beats. Davis’s vocal is even and clean. I can actually hear the lyrics without my deaf ass going back and rewinding 20 times.

“Last Glittering Thrill” is a Social D meets The Beatles rocker that locks into a cool four on the floor groove right away. This is rock and roll ‘80s style. A rollicking, power-pop call to arms that extols the feelings of playing in a band. The gritty guitars of Michael Carlucci (Winter Hours) and Matt Frielander (Miscreants) grind against thick bass and laid-back drumming. Psychedelic and groovy, I see this song raising its college-oriented head on radio very soon.

The standout on the disc is “Point Pleasant.” This duet features the amazing vocal talents of Deena Shoshkes, lead singer of The Cucumbers. I can always tell when Deena is on board because she sounds like no other singer out there. Likeable, resonant and smooth, she is a perfect match for Davis’s warm and steady voice. Laid back and steady, “Point Pleasant” moves along like a lazy summer day. Additional instrumentation and backing vocals on the track are smart and economic. Nothing gets trampled on this sunny afternoon ramble.

“Warm” is a trance-induced arabesque number that winds its way out slowly. Acoustic guitars, pianos and synths spill constant and somber melody over the vocal top of Davis’s plaintive and passionate storylines. This slides directly into the spaced-out “From The Air,” which features intricate percussion work from Feelies drummer Stan Demeski and paves the way for the next selection quite well. “Dream About It” is that selection and taps into its ‘late ‘80s meets early ‘90s rock’ sound with gusto and lots of guitars. Think Bush meets the Cars and you would be in the right ballpark. Synthesizers and organs whirl a plenty, orbiting the bass and drum double snap as Davis wails down the middle of the entire track. Controlled chaos reigns here and I like it.

“Fourth Of July” is another song that spoke to me immediately. Interesting chord choices fit the melody like a glove. The band comes in dynamic and restrained until the verse bridge where they pound home the melodic framework that catches your attention fast. The violin and viola interludes of Sara Bonesteel and Rebecca Harris-Lee are picture perfect and scattered modestly throughout this disc. Another song I felt strongly about was - The Aquarian

Some of the most passionate and memorable music came out of the ‘80s and ‘90s. The list of iconic artists and hit songs are too massive to list here but suffice to say that they will live forever in the minds and hearts of many of us. I was fortunate enough to be part of the original scene through both of those formative decades. I got to witness the magic that was made from musicians that have since faded into whatever obscurities we all eventually face. But often there is a resurrection, a rebirth of musicians and songs that are just too strong to disappear from our conveyor belt music scene.

That thought brings me to this next Shoreworld find called The Thousand Pities. The Thousand Pities are comprised of some of the best players associated with those heady days of “alternative” sound. The band is formed around the songwriting prowess of Matthew Davis, former frontman of the Massachusetts band The Vestrymen. The Vestrymen were on Absolute A Go Go Records and garnered plenty of college airplay and printed press in their time. They toured or shared the stage with Aimee Mann’s Til Tuesday, Robyn Hitchcock, Green Day as well as Belly. Davis packed it in around 1994 to pursue what we musicians call “normal” stuff.

However, as all musicians know, you can’t keep a good song down, and in 2006 Davis tore off the cover and started up the machine again, recruiting a mix of old and new band mates here in New Jersey for what would become The Thousand Pities. The culmination of that gathering is their latest release titled Believe In Sound, an eclectic mix of songs that grapple with grown up subject matter and do so with a beautiful spread of exuberant and youthful sounds that bring you back to a time when rock and roll was turning a brand new corner.

Believe In Sound is full of analog goodness. Jangly guitars chime in unison with deep-toned pianos and organs while drums and bass crack, simplistic and metered. While organic in nature, the overall sound is still edgy and rebellious, bringing me back to those great live show times at Patrick’s in New Brunswick, CBGB’S in New York and the scary darkness of The Dover Showplace in good ole’ Dover, NJ. Produced by Davis, the disc also gets a boost from none other than Mark Alan Miller (The Pernice Brothers, Lloyd Cole, Dinosaur Jr, J. Mascis, Thurston Moore.)

Some of the more interesting cuts on the disc are “What If Everyone Is Wrong,” an ode to self-discovery, love and life’s continuing quandaries. Layered in the colorful and fuzzy coats of guitarist Michael Carlucci, the melodic chores are thematic carried out under reverbed-toned slide lines and steady bass and beats. Davis’s vocal is even and clean. I can actually hear the lyrics without my deaf ass going back and rewinding 20 times.

“Last Glittering Thrill” is a Social D meets The Beatles rocker that locks into a cool four on the floor groove right away. This is rock and roll ‘80s style. A rollicking, power-pop call to arms that extols the feelings of playing in a band. The gritty guitars of Michael Carlucci (Winter Hours) and Matt Frielander (Miscreants) grind against thick bass and laid-back drumming. Psychedelic and groovy, I see this song raising its college-oriented head on radio very soon.

The standout on the disc is “Point Pleasant.” This duet features the amazing vocal talents of Deena Shoshkes, lead singer of The Cucumbers. I can always tell when Deena is on board because she sounds like no other singer out there. Likeable, resonant and smooth, she is a perfect match for Davis’s warm and steady voice. Laid back and steady, “Point Pleasant” moves along like a lazy summer day. Additional instrumentation and backing vocals on the track are smart and economic. Nothing gets trampled on this sunny afternoon ramble.

“Warm” is a trance-induced arabesque number that winds its way out slowly. Acoustic guitars, pianos and synths spill constant and somber melody over the vocal top of Davis’s plaintive and passionate storylines. This slides directly into the spaced-out “From The Air,” which features intricate percussion work from Feelies drummer Stan Demeski and paves the way for the next selection quite well. “Dream About It” is that selection and taps into its ‘late ‘80s meets early ‘90s rock’ sound with gusto and lots of guitars. Think Bush meets the Cars and you would be in the right ballpark. Synthesizers and organs whirl a plenty, orbiting the bass and drum double snap as Davis wails down the middle of the entire track. Controlled chaos reigns here and I like it.

“Fourth Of July” is another song that spoke to me immediately. Interesting chord choices fit the melody like a glove. The band comes in dynamic and restrained until the verse bridge where they pound home the melodic framework that catches your attention fast. The violin and viola interludes of Sara Bonesteel and Rebecca Harris-Lee are picture perfect and scattered modestly throughout this disc. Another song I felt strongly about was - The Aquarian

Matthew Davis tells us he doesn’t care what you think about the records he likes. But don’t judge him on that — judge him by what he’s willing to spin at parties. On the ambitious “Last Glittering Thrill,” he hands us a playlist, singing about the old Three O’Clock and Plasticland records on his turntable. Those bands made sharply written psychedelic guitar-pop — immersive, urgent, occasionally murky and pleasantly skewed. He’s chased — and captured — those virtues himself on “Believe in Sound,” the debut album by his latest outfit, the Thousand Pities. A longtime Garden State resident who now lives in Montclair, Davis has made some talented friends in Jersey pop: Stanley Demeski of the Feelies plays percussion on the brief “From the Air,” Deena Shoshkes of the Cucumbers sings harmony on the engrossing “Point Pleasant.” Davis’ regular band is awfully impressive, too, especially powerhouse drummer Ken Meyer and synth player Billy Donohue, who adds twinkle and purr to the occasionally downcast material. As for Davis himself, he possesses an emotionally resonant, weather-beaten voice that he puts to good use on ballads “Super-High Moon” and “Gone to Stay.” One of the best local releases of 2011 so far? Heck, forget about “local.”

— Tris McCall - The Star-Ledger

Matthew Davis tells us he doesn’t care what you think about the records he likes. But don’t judge him on that — judge him by what he’s willing to spin at parties. On the ambitious “Last Glittering Thrill,” he hands us a playlist, singing about the old Three O’Clock and Plasticland records on his turntable. Those bands made sharply written psychedelic guitar-pop — immersive, urgent, occasionally murky and pleasantly skewed. He’s chased — and captured — those virtues himself on “Believe in Sound,” the debut album by his latest outfit, the Thousand Pities. A longtime Garden State resident who now lives in Montclair, Davis has made some talented friends in Jersey pop: Stanley Demeski of the Feelies plays percussion on the brief “From the Air,” Deena Shoshkes of the Cucumbers sings harmony on the engrossing “Point Pleasant.” Davis’ regular band is awfully impressive, too, especially powerhouse drummer Ken Meyer and synth player Billy Donohue, who adds twinkle and purr to the occasionally downcast material. As for Davis himself, he possesses an emotionally resonant, weather-beaten voice that he puts to good use on ballads “Super-High Moon” and “Gone to Stay.” One of the best local releases of 2011 so far? Heck, forget about “local.”

— Tris McCall - The Star-Ledger