Friday, January 07, 2022

Pete Donnelly - Anthem of the Time


Any year that begins with new music from Pete Donnelly promises to be very good! The longtime Figgs co-frontman has just released Anthem of the Time, a five-song EP done almost entirely "one man band" style. The only exception is the title track, which features Matt Beck on guitar and Tony Reyes on bass. The song is Donnelly's stab at some "power pop goodness". And while Donnelly's work over the decades transcends categorization, there are few living individuals in his class when it comes to crafting perfect three-minute pop songs. The hook line "We all need love/We all want some" has never been truer. "Anthem of the Time" is an anthem for all times. Donnelly keeps the DIY tracks lively by integrating such instruments as Wurlitzer, drum machine, synthesizer, and double bass. "Play Music" and "Keynote Sparks" are nods to the home-recorded pop of yore. The latter rides the timely lyric "Go get yourself deleted", while the former rests on some life philosophy we can all stand behind: When you don't know what do, play music! "The Opposite Side" is an outtake from Donnelly's most recent album The Perpetual Twist, and "Half the Time It Takes" is a whimsical little acoustic guitar instrumental. New tunes from Pete Donnelly are always a cause for celebration, and Anthem of the Time exudes a joyful looseness that stands in contrast to some of his more "serious" work. Even legends sometimes enjoy releasing music for the sheer fun of it!

-L.R.   

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