Severn Way

Pernell Disney | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 8, 2002)
• Original Release Date: October 8, 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Artist One-Stop
• ASIN: B00007EMSH
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,531,731 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Produced by Tim Bradshaw (David Gray, dogs eye view)

"With music described as 'Dream Pop', he has often been favorably compared to the likes of Duncan Shiek, Jeff Buckley, Neil Finn, and Dream Academy."

The first single "Drive," the video for which DISNEY himself did the camerawork and direction. "It's saying ‘yeah, the relationship is over, I'm moving on'," he reveals. "Next" expresses his feelings when his former girlfriend kept kicking him when he was already down, and "Snow" tells of cleaning the slate to start over and try to work it out. "Hours Awake" explores ambivalent feelings about dating a new girl and realizing he just wants to be friends while "Alone" stumbles upon the acceptance of being without a significant other. But not every song can be traced to lost love. "Midnight Detroit" harkens back to DISNEY's ongoing passion for hockey, written after watching his favorite Washington Capitals lose to rival Detroit Red Wings. "The whole song just came to me after being awake for 28 hours straight and lying sleepless in a hotel bed." He laughs. "Madeline" is an ode to his newborn niece; "I'm From Hollywood" was inspired by the late comedian Andy Kaufman who was "runnin! g away from his life, just like I was;" and "Time For Tea" uncovers how "I am always coming back to DC, that will always be my home." The one song on the CD having nothing to do with a real situation is "Another Angel Song." DISNEY explains: "I read the script for the movie ‘Dogma' two years before the film was shot, and was deeply affected by it. This song was written about one of the characters whose views on religion are very similar to my own."

All in all SEVERN WAY - named for a street in his own neighborhood - is an auspicious beginning for a singer/songwriter who is bound to go far.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Melodic Sensibility and Lyrical Honesty Equals Strong Album, April 25, 2003

By 

Brian Snyder (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Severn Way (Audio CD)

As a huge fan of David Gray, I was pleasantly surprised when I heard this new singer/songwriter for the first time. There were definite David Gray influences, but it wasn't a carbon-copy. So, I wasn't too shocked to find out that Pernell's debut CD was Mixed by Tim Bradshaw, David Gray's keyboardist! On Severn Way, Tim contributed by playing Keyboards, Lead Guitar, Bass & even programming those addictive David Gray'esque drum loops. OK, as wonderful as all of that may be, it would have been a useless cover if the songs couldn't carry their own weight. The truth is, Pernell has done a wonderful job of expressing his honest emotions on this album, and in a way that's very accessible. You find yourself thinking, "Hey, I've been there. Wait, I've been there, too. Hey, is this me singing?" Pernell's done an incredible job of being true to himself and his audience through his lyrics on Severn Way. My favorite song on the album is "Next." Not only does it have an overly addictive melody, but it tackles a question we all encounter when we get to a certain point in a relationship. In the words of Pernell, "...when I speak do you hear me? Is this your favorite song. This one..." It's that pivotal moment when you're not sure if you mean as much to someone as you thought you did. It's brilliant. "Next," covers a lot of ground, but that one idea really stuck out in my mind. Another great song is "Midnight Detroit." In this song, Pernell is alone in a hotel room thinking about his distant love. She's far away, but she still lives inside of him. Instead of it being melancholy, this song's chorus resounds a relieving sigh of, "...it's alright. It's ok. 'Cause I see your face on every page..." And when Pernell sings, "...you're so special, can't you see..." in "Madeline," you feel like he's talking about you. You find yourself saying, "hey, I AM special." The prosody is excellent. The only constructive criticism that I would have for Pernell is that in a couple of the songs, the lyrics can become a bit abstract or cryptic. But, overall, the message comes across in a very poignent & honest way. If I were Pernell Disney, I would be very excited to have created such a strong debut album. I know incredible artists who's debut albums have been hemispheres worse. Congratulations on a job well done.

Brian

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars well Worth a listen, June 4, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Severn Way (Audio CD)

Really good record. Everything just seems to gel just right. It's one of those where you want to hear it again once it's over." I'm from Hollywood" is a real highpoint. Cool loops, cool playing, cool songs and a cool voice. Well worth investigating.

4.0 out of 5 stars well Worth a listen, June 4, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Severn Way (Audio CD)

Really good record. Everything just seems to gel just right. It's one of those where you want to hear it again once it's over." I'm from Hollywood" is a real highpoint. Cool loops, cool playing, cool songs and a cool voice. Well worth investigating.