Palmyra Delran: You Are What You Absorb

Handsome Dick Manitoba recommends Palmyra Delran. And that should be enough for anyone!

Palmyra’s new album: You Are What You Absorb was released today and true to its title, the music reflects what she musta absorbed from her rekkid player. Back in the 90’s, she used to be in some retro garage band called The Friggs. I was pretty wasted during the 90’s and don’t remember much of the decade. Oops.  

Plenty of fuzzy guitars, cheezy organs (and if your organ has cheese on it, see a doctor!) & garageland influences. I can easily pick out echoes from The Pretenders, Sleater Kinney and The Pandoras. Also reminds me of Wendy Wyld & The Mad Violets (who were a NYC garage band from the 80's- they used to pass around mushrooms and/or blotter. Good times. At least I remember them to be good times- hard to tell, the 80's are even fuzzier than the 90's).

Pick hits include “Shy Boy” (also the lead-off track on Little Steven’s Coolest Songs In The World volume 8), “You’re My Brian Jones” and the sitar led “Shut Out”. Palymyra’s got a voice a bit like Vickie (or is it Debbie) Peterson from The Bangles. "Never To Be Back Again” has got that bitchin' farfisa sound.

I also really dig the extremely “What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace Love and Understanding” influenced “Lies For You” (she should be payin’ royalties to Mssrs Costello and Lowe for that one). Actually, the more I listen to this elpee, the more Elvis C I hear. Or more to the point, The Attractions.  That's not a bad thing. At least it wasn't until Imperial Bedroom.

The last song on the album “The Turtle” is an off kilter early 60’s jazzy bossa nova dance tune. You know how you do "The Turtle"? You come out real slow and just stand there. My kinda dance. Hey man, us punks used ta "stand for unity". Or fall down for alcoholism. 

This is a 12 song burst of sunshine. It's hard to stay pissed off when you listen to this!

Go buy the record.

Pure pop for now people.

Or something.