Customer Reviews

Anytown Graffiti

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought the album before they played the benefit BBQ for KEXP. I actually think there are 4 or 5 better songs than "Lost to the Lonesome", the song getting the most play on that station, but they really blew me away with their live set. They stood out among a bunch of great bands at that show. TV On The Radio had the best album of 2006, in my opinion, and this is the best of 2007. "Waiting on the Stairs", "Song Writes Itself", "Tenement Teeth" and "Lost to the Lonesome" are great rock songs, and "The Trouble with River Cities" and "Your Desert's Not a Desert At All" are gorgeous. Pick up this album and see them live if you get the chance.

Hands down, probably one of the best albums that will come out this year. I am quite picky about the albums I like, and this one has sneaked its way in there. Fans of Arcade Fire, Killers, Band of Horses, Clap Your Hands, etc. will be served well to buy this album.

Enjoy

This is a gorgeous album. Smart without being pretentious, varied but still organic, sing along fun but not dumb. Fans of Arcade Fire, Spoon, Okkervil River, Twilight Sad, Beirut... rejoice. And buy this album. "Waiting on the Stairs" will have you stomping your feet and asking for more. "Anytown Graffiti" will impel a beautiful reverie. And the rest of the album's darn good too.

Awesome album...true blue, heartfelt, rock n' roll with a modern edge.

I was stunned when they broke up after putting this album out as it was so clear to me it was the classic album of a band with a great future...I mourn the future releases that will never come even as I appreciate this album.

The second half of 2007 is forever defined by this album and the National's Boxer.

I've been listening to this record for over a year now - and it's still one of my favorite CD's. It's the kind of CD that I put on when I simply want to enjoy music and relax. I've turned a lot of other people to them too. One of the best features of this album is that every song has a unique 'sound'. A lot of popular, highly rated albums have songs that blend in, but not Anytown Graffit. Each of their songs is an insightful little treat.

Of course it had to be almost a year until someone told me about Pela. Oh Well, better late than never, right? My initial response when hearing 'Anytown Graffiti' was that McCarthy's voice sounded like Brandon Flowers and some of the songs reminded me of Stellastarr*. Though McCarthy does have a hint of Flowers in his voice, the music is far and away much better than The Killers. In fact, forget I even compared him to Mr. Flowers.
From start to finish, 'Anytown Graffiti' is a solid and focused work. Nothing sounds out of place. Its very cohesive and works as a whole. It's a promising debut that has me expecting great things from Pela in the future.
Key Tracks (Though all are good):
Waiting On The Stairs
Lost To The Lonesome
The Trouble With River Cities
Your Desert's Not A Desert At All - my fave!

I liked the first song so much when I first heard it on XMU that I bought the album the next day. Comparable to the Killers in sound, but less predictable, the hards songs are harder, and the soft songs are less sappy.

Highly recommended for almost anyone. Everyone I play it for likes it a lot.

Some beautifully landscaped tunes that get better with each listen -- the sign of a good album. Soulful lyric writing combined with great rifts. Ripe for an autumned overcast day of wistful thinking...

We have followed Pela from their beginnings playing addictive and compeling music at the Mercury and Luna lounges in NYC. Not a bad venue for a Brooklyn band. But most locals know that the best of NY lives in Brooklyn. When you first listen to Anytown Graffiti, put in your ear plugs, but turn off your pace makers. Pela's music will ensure that there is beat enough to keep your heart going and passion enough to temp you to crankup the volume just a little. Listen a few more times and you will be singing along (after checking out the lyrics on the album jacket). Now you are primed to hear them live and that when the real fun begins. You remember Pela fondly via their recordings, but truly experience them through their live concerts.

Once again, I'm dazzled by an unknown band. Lately I've been far more impressed by the up-and-comers than by my own old favorites. (Check out Le Loup and The Cave Singers, a couple of my other recent favorites.) I hope that Pela eventually get the attention that they deserve, because their music ought to appeal to a wide audience. It could almost pass itself off as mainstream rock, but it still appeals to my indie tastes. And while I usually favor more experimental instrumentation, the songs on Anytown Grafiti are just so catchy that I love them despite the fact that they're not really doing anything new.

I'm surprised how long it took me to hear of this band, considering how great this album is. I hope the name Pela is more widely known soon.