PELL MELL

Star City

"Pell Mell has often been compared to such early rock instrumental figures as Link Wray and Duane Eddy, even though the band's shimmering keyboards and guitar sound owe little stylistic allegiance to such supposed forebears. In one respect, however, the comparison is apt: while most modern- or prog-rock instrumental groups favor abstract composition over articulated songwriting, Pell Mell's best material--like that of Wray and Eddy--sounds like genuine songs, songs that swing and move, songs that build, peak, and fall, songs that just happen to not have lyrics or vocals.

"Since the group first coalesced in Portland, Oregon, around 1980, Pell Mell's members--the most nationally prominent of whom is keyboard player Steve Fisk, who joined in 1983--have come and gone over the years, with most of the lineups scattered around various northwestern and California cities. (Founding drummer Bob Beerman and bassist Greg Freeman have been in place the longest; both they and Fisk are on The Bumper Crop, a collection of tracks from '83 and '84 that overlaps, song-wise, For Years We Stood Clearly As One Thing.) Geographical impediment has led the group to write its songs by mail--someone will get an idea, lay it down on tape and mail the tape to a bandmate, who in turn overdubs his ideas and so on, until the tune is completed. When enough material has been compiled in this manner, Pell Mell convenes, finishes the songs and records them.

"Pell Mell's 1980s sound, interesting but inconsistent, received a bit of a makeover when guitarist Dave Spalding joined the band in time for 1992's Flow album. Spalding not only recharged the group's songwriting batteries (he's credited with seven of the album's eleven tunes), he also redirected their instrumental focus from keyboards to guitars. The result is an album full of songs that are crisp and sharp where some previous Pell Mell efforts had meandered and dragged. Highly recommended.

"The success of Flow helped make Pell Mell one of the more intriguing major-label signings of the 1990s--who could have imagined Geffen being interested in an all-instrumental group? The resulting album, 1995's Interstate, is a solid continuation of Flow's sound..."

So much for major-label intrigue. The current album Star City was recorded for Geffen, but made available to us when the band was dropped prior to its release; we eagerly scooped it up, being longtime fans of the band and impressed by its range and consistency. Star City is Pell Mell's most exciting and accomplished work to date.

DISCOGRAPHY

Left to right: David Spalding (Boston/NY), Greg Freeman (San Francisco), Steve Fisk (Seattle), Robert Beerman (Boston)