Customer Reviews

Once Twice Three Times a Maybe

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

 

 

The fact that this album, recorded in 1997, was shelved for 7 years because of record company politics is a travesty. Had Stinson & his band's record come out in '97, it would have been hailed as one of the best records of the year. And in 2004, it still is: "Me" pulls at your heartstrings while rocking you silly; "Seven Days a Week" sounds like "Let It Be" era Replacements with a modern spin. If you like the Replacements, power-pop, the Faces, the Buzzcocks, etc, you can't do better than this album!

Finally released after years on the record company shelf, Perfect's "Once Twice, Three Times a Maybe" should be a welcome addition to any CD collection. It bristles, it pops, it crackles with electricity and is consistently fun and enjoyable. So what if it's not really anything new?

Tommy Stinson and his cohorts turn in a great collection of power-pop classics that are just grungy enough to keep them out of the top 40 and just poppy enough to turn off the hardcore skatepunks out there.

The opening track, "Better Days" brings to mind some of the better English pop-punk anthems of the late 70's, "Turn It Up" is a great party tune, "Catch 'em" brings to mind glam gone wrong, "YapYap" sounds like a much happier Johnny Thunders, and "7 Days A Week" channels the energy of his old band, the Replacements ("It's closing time/We're strangers with our worthless lives...and the hardest day is 7 days a week"). It's anguish disguised as a punk-pop.

The playing by Stinson and his bandmates is professional, polished, and passionate throughout. I'm willing to say that the band on this is tighter than a duck's a**, and that's waterproof. Teriffic playing by a tight band at its personal peak.

The production by Jim Dickinson brings out the best of the band...but the mix is just the tiniest bit muddy. Half the time I can't make out the vocals without intense concentration...they're buried just a little low in the mix. It loses half a star for that, but this is still a very, very accomplished record that rocks.

It's too bad this bounced around labels for so long...Perfect may have been the next big thing. "Once, twice, three times a maybe"-- indeed.

Tommy Stinson deserves a better fate than playing sideman to Axl Rose in Guns N Roses after releasing 2 CDs as good as this one and Bash & Pop's "Friday Night Is Killing Me". This CD is a bit more up-tempo than "Friday Night ..." & there is not a bad song on it. The songs are catchy & the playing is potent. It is every bit as good as any of Paul Westerberg's solo releases. Thanks to Rykodisc for releasing this gem (originally titled "Seven Days A Week") after Restless/Regency dropped the ball & shelved the original release. It's too bad label problems caused the band to fall apart. It would have been nice to hear another "Perfect" release.

I like this album a lot. Its all rock. However I thought Bash and Pop's effort was better. maybe i am a sucker for that Face's sound that Friday Night had. My rating is a little less than 4 stars however i rounded up because I am a big fan of Tommy Stinson.