Tapes & Demos. The Pretty Graves

Today I, again, present a new name on the blog. It appears I've missed the band's debut album, 'The Pretty Graves' this May. Tapes & Demos is, as the title suggests, not the sophomore album but the one in between, sharing the band's music from before the debut. Tapes & Demos is a collection of b-sides, left overs and live favourites that did not make it to 'The Pretty Graves', but are too good to leave behind in the mystery of time or for that 30th anniversary edition. Chances are I won't make it to 2056, so thank you for releasing them in 2026.

Coincidentally, I bought a new version of The Velvet Underground's 'Loaded' last weekend. It is not just because of this that I'm reminded of the legendary band. The Pretty Graves play on the brink of pop music and alternative, garage and psychedelia, just like The Velvets do on 'The Velvet Underground', 'Loaded' and 'VU'. The comparison is not fair, as I put Tapes & Demos in competition with albums I know and love for (over) forty years. But, I'm writing, am I not?

Tapes & Demos is an album that spoke to me right from the very beginning of my listening to it. Going through some new albums quite fast, this was the one where I stopped skipping songs, thinking well could be the one, followed by an affirmative yes. Putting the album on again, only made the resolve stronger.

Just listen to opening song 'Sorry I Left The Way I Did'. The melancholy pop song is inspired by every band between Big Star and Teenage Fanclub (in the 1990s). That sad feeling is translated into eternal pop beauty. Enough indie to be credible, yet so commercially inclined it should catch everyone's ear who is looking for a great pop song. The guitar solo catches it all perfectly as well.

A more alternative feel enters in the second song, 'Bluebird'. Enter a shrillish little organ playing just one note for the whole time, while the band does its own version of a song like 'What Goes On' from 'The Velvet Underground' album around that note. 'Bluebird' has an identical drive, making it a song I instantly related to.

Tapes & Demos swings between the kind of alternative pop songs and more 60s inspired songs, making the album as varied as it is interesting. Of course, there are more modern influences but it does boil down to music that was created well over 50 years ago. Because some of the tracks are demos, they even sound more primitive. 'Return To Love' is such a song. There's so much energy there, while singer Chris Lisorti is singing over it, as if he's got all the time in the world.

'She's A Killer' takes us back to the Velvets once again, but by then I'm more than convinced. It's time to check out 'The Pretty Graves' album, but it may well be that Tapes & Demos is more than enough. The honesty, rawness and energy captured on these tapes tell it all.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You can listen to and order Tapes & Demos here:

https://theprettygraves.bandcamp.com/album/tapes-demos