Review: The Green Pajamas – To The End Of The Sea (Green Monkey Records, 2016) (Pop)
In 1984 took Jeff Kelly – lead guitar, vocals, drums, bass, organ, percussion, mandolin and Joe Ross – bass guitar, vocals, lead guitar, percussion, zither, banjo, strings drums and bagpipes their first songs at the home of Joe’s parents West Seattle.
The band’s name, which was first Felix The Cat Explodes, was changed to The Green Pajamas, named after a song that was written by Jeff and comprises both Jeff Kelly and Joe Ross from Eric Lichter – keyboards, vocals and percussion Laura Weller – vocals and lead guitar and Karl Wilhelm – drums.
From then it went fast with the band after their debut album “Happy Halloween” in 1984, which was released through the Endgame Records label, the albums followed: “Summer Of Lust” (1984), “Book of Hours” (1986 ), “November” (1988) and “Ghosts of Love” (1990) together with the clockwork and were released by Green Monkey Records.
After a silence of seven years appeared their next two albums “Strung Behind The Sun” and “All Clues Lead To Meagan’s Bed” at the Camera Obscura label, and the Woronzow label took the baton and “Seven Fathoms Down And Falling” (1999 ) and “This Is Where We Disappear” (2001) released and subsequently published “Lust Never Sleeps” (2002, Endgame Records) and “Northern Gothic” (2002, Camera Obscura).
Then their albums were “Ten White Stones” (2004), “21st Century Séance” (2005), “The Night Races Into Anna” (2006), “Box Of Secrets: Northern Gothic Season 2” (2007) and “Poison In the Russian Room “(2009) released by Hidden Agenda Records label, while St. Brigid Records label in 2007, the album” released If You Knew What I Dreamed … “on the market.
In recent years the albums reappear through the Green Monkey Records label, whose “Green Pajama Country!” from 2011 was the first, and “Summer Of Lust” (2012, re-edition) “Death By Misadventure” followed (2012).
Their new album “To The End Of The Sea” from 2016 was released by Green Monkey Records and then the band consists of Jeff Kelly – vocals, piano, solo guitar, mellotron, synthesizer and percussion, Laura Weller – vocals, piano, mellotron and flute, Scott Vanderpool – drums, Natalie Gray – violin, Vito Inman – trumpet Elise Hirschi – vocals (two numbers) and Phil Hirschi – cello and vocals (first number).
The album, 18 songs contain, starts with “Will The Ships Go Down”, which I hear a catchy sounding pretty quiet, slightly psychedelic pop song war, in which the vocals are distorted and influences of progressive rock are heard and this number is followed by “Si Sigues La Luna” (If You Follow the Moon), a beautiful quiet short pop song, which lasts less than a minute and is sung by Elise.
Then I hear “White Light House” also has a nice short pop song, a catchy rhythm, and “Sea Of Secrets 1” follows and again I hear a quiet song war.
Then the band plays “All Of The Starry Sky”, an excellent quiet pop song that sounds subdued singing and is followed by “Who Is The Girl”, a short catchy pop song that encourages me sway.
In “Madness To Burn” I get once again to put a short pop song and here is the influence of the Beatles audible, and I “When Juliet Smiles” follows and I had a brilliant pop song though, which is played at an average rate .
Then plays The Green Pajamas “A Mouth Full Of Honey”, a fantastic short psychedelic pop song, which is followed by “Sea Of Secrets 2”, an excellent quiet folk song with psychedelic influences. (Listen to this song from the youtube link below the review)
the “Ten Million light Years Away,” the band I enjoy a great swinging psychedelic pop song and there are Beatles influences and “Anyone But me” I get again presented such a beautiful peaceful light psychedelic pop song and “Got to Go Away,” the band I enjoy a short-generated pop song, in which the cello plays an important role.
“Big Black Storm” is a pretty heavy sounding pretty pop song and “[Dusk]” a classic-looking instrumental, which is followed by “Why Did I Think I Could”, a beautiful song that starts quiet and subdued, but at the end is heavier.
Further, put the strap me “Over Here”, in which I hear a great catchy pop song and “Hasta Al Fin De La Mar” (To The End Of The Sea), which contains a light Spanish rhythms and turn to dance, Elise let hear her singing skills again and I get to put a great pop song.
“To The End Of The Sea” by The Green Pajamas contains 18 great songs that are worth hearing, and I can therefore recommend any lover of the better pop to listen to this album again.
* The music of this band / artist is also heard regularly on Monday evenings between 20:00 and 22:00 (CET) on the radio program Carry’s Music Machine through www.osuradio.nl