Pete Molinari: A Virtual Landscape (Shock)

 |   |  <1 min read

Pete Molinari: It Came Out of the Wilderness
Pete Molinari: A Virtual Landscape (Shock)

English singer-songwriter Molinari's debut Walking off the Map was a beguiling, blatantly Dylanesque affair which found great favour at Elsewhere -- but this time out he's like a pub quiz: which song am I referencing now?
Usually it's Dylan but he lifts shamelessly from Sam Cooke, Hank Williams, the Stones' in 65, young Donovan . . .
And you gotta love a nasal line like this: "they all held me down, said I wouldn't get far, but look what I made out of my head, ma". Dylanologists could probably date that to the month in 64.
Recorded at Toe Rag in London this has a terrific live feel and there is no doubt the man has a great voice (somewhere between young Bob and Lonnie Donegan, at other times sensitive but strong on the ballads).
But the over-riding feeling is of an album that is far too referenced -- lyrically, melodically and stylistically -- in other people's scrapbooks.
So although songs like One Stolen Moment and There She Still Remains are genuine gems they are surrounded by others which make you want to shout, "Yes! I know this one, it's . . ."

Share It

Your Comments

post a comment

More from this section   Music at Elsewhere articles index

Stefan Wolf: Stiff Herbert (digital outlets)

Stefan Wolf: Stiff Herbert (digital outlets)

And suddenly despite being elsewhere (in China as we shall see), former Paekakariki resident Stefan Wolf is kind of “everywhere”. Rather than review this typically idiosyncratic but... > Read more

Dry Cleaning: Stumpwork (4AD/digital outlets)

Dry Cleaning: Stumpwork (4AD/digital outlets)

In 2021 when we reviewed New Long Leg, the arresting debut album by this London quartet, we put it in the lineage of Eighties post-punk, Wire, John Cooper Clarke and Kae Tempest among others.... > Read more

Elsewhere at Elsewhere

John Martyn: Solid Air (1973)

John Martyn: Solid Air (1973)

When the great British singer-songwriter John Martyn died in January 2009 there was initially very little media coverage -- and then people realised the significance of this innovative and creative... > Read more

THE BARGAIN BUY: Grease (DVD)

THE BARGAIN BUY: Grease (DVD)

A fortnight ago when Grease appeared unexpectedly on our small screen we, the Elsewhere household, laughed at the terrible opening credits and thereafter -- both us -- were hooked. Neither of... > Read more