Review: 1971
A little clarification before we get rolling on the reviews. I’m not going to worry so much about when an album came out or even if the band that made it is still together; the intent is to introduce our blog readers to good independent music, whenever and by whomever it was made. I’m going to try to only review albums that are obtainable in some form on the Internet, and will probably only review stuff I like.
Now then. I saw 1971 perform live several times a few years ago and liked what I heard. I stumbled upon their eponymous CD in my wife’s collection a while back, and thought it’d be fun to give it a listen. It was like seeing old friends after a long absence; it’s a credit to lead singer/guitarist/drummer David Pope’s songwriting skill that many of the songs had fastened their hooks into my brain. The album as a whole is acoustic-driven with the ambience of a back-porch pickin’ party, cohesive but with more emphasis on feel than technique. Ably backed by the harmonies and instrumental skills of bassist Robert Peets and lead guitarist Brett Hale, Pope’s tales of heartbreak, hangover, religious anguish and family troubles are the perfect companions for world-weary late nights. Standout track: “Hail Mary”. The album is available for purchase on CDBaby.com.