Pearly Gate Music Pearly Gate Music (Bella Union)
4/5
By: Stephen Maughan
Oh, this is nice. I don't know about you, but I distinctly recall my English teacher droning into my daydreaming 11 year old self “Never use the word ‘nice’ in a sentence.” Well Mrs Bloomsbury, I am sorry, but “nice” is the perfect word to describe this lovely little album.
Pearly Gate Music is really just one man, Zach Tillman, brother of Fleet Foxes Josh Tillman and self confessed slacker who, on the evidence of this, has a soft heart, a sweet voice, and is a pure romantic. Z. Tillman has gone on record again and again saying he gets his inspiration from writing from “ex girlfriends”, but rather than Pearly Gate Music containing ten bitter songs where Tillman curses his ex lovers for breaking his heart, instead it is more a celebration of life and experience, and my goodness, does young Zach know how to pen a good line or two.
“If I still loved you, I wouldn't be free”, Zach confesses seemingly in slow-motion in 'I Was A River', while in the gloriously poetic 'Navy Blues' he talks of how “When we get married I think it would be best if you wore that blue sweater instead of a dress”, over as sound not too different to one that might get aired in your local church.
Yes, I did say church. For the pearly gates of heaven, for those who slept through Religious Studies, are the gateway to heaven mentioned in the book of Revelations, where each of the 12 gates mentioned were made from a pearl. I have no idea how literally Zach Tillman takes this, despite several references (“The only man I ever loved died 2000 years before”), but whatever way you look at it, at the very least it's a great metaphor to name a band after, and an inspiration to create beautiful music. I think part of the appeal must be to mess with peoples’ heads too – not to mention those of his reportedly rather strict Christian parents.
Pearly Gate Music has a lightness of touch that appeals to dreamers like me. It’s catchy, poetic, and full of sad songs that have been created with love and patience. The key themes seem to be love, patience, and reassurance, and whilst Zach Tillman doesn't quite meet the heights of the likes of Kris Kristofferson or Neil Young, this is the kind of record that needs protection from the onslaught of over-hyped and louder bands. He’s a young man with an old heart who’s crafted a delicate and fragile album that, despite its oft downtrodden subject matter, offers hope and peace above anything else. It's hard to ask for more from one man and his guitar. Sorry, Mrs Bloomsbury, but this is a very nice album indeed.
Artists in this article: Pearly Gate Music
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