Monday, October 30, 2006

DROP 12

The Pines are on the cards, not only because of their forthcoming album - which is actually a collection of old material, so the Castaway Stones album is still the only full-length by any of Pam Berry's bands. But they have also been on my mind a lot lately, as I was hoping to meet Pam a few days ago. I was listening again to all her records, with Black Tambourine/Glo-Worm/Shapiros/Castaway Stones/Belmondo/Seashell Sea, formulating my thoughts into questions. The questions are still there on the piece of paper, demanding their answers. In many ways, The Pines is the best of her countless projects. But if you'd ask me out of the blue, I'd probably go for Glo-Worm. But really, everytime I listen to one those bands I think "this is the best one". A friend of mine recently gave me "If She Doesn't Smile (It'll Rain)" by 80's Greek band Fantastic Something. I then realised that I had already had that song sitting on my computer for a few months, but as an mp3 of The Pines playing it live sometime, somewhere. I didn't know it was a cover and I still don't know where it comes from. So although it's quite true to the original, I still think it sounds like a Pines song when I hear the Fantastic Something version. This is dedicated to Pam and her family. I hope they are well!

DROP 12
The Pines - If She Doesn't Smile (It'll Rain)

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

was pam also in cat's miaow? just asking.

Anonymous said...

No, she wasn't (but I used to think she was too, somehow). The girl in Cat's Miaow is called.... *looks it up* Kerrie. Apparently "The Cat's Miaow will only ever be Kerrie, Andrew, Bart and Cam."

By the way, much as I love the Pines, and I love them to bits, I think the song sounds like a Fantastic Something song. Have a little respect to the song that started the whole Greek indiepop scene, will you? ;)

The Rain Fell Down said...

sure! it's just that i heard the pines one first. if i hadn't, it would most certainly be the other way around. are you still on sinister btw? not that anything happens there...

Anonymous said...

I was just joking really. Technically you can say I am on Sinister, but I wouldn't know if anything happens or not cause I hardly ever read it...

Anonymous said...

This song was recorded in Pam's living room in Greenwich, at a party that also included acoustic performances by Ara from Boyracer, the Foxgloves, Honeymoon Diary (ex-Bella Vista), and a mostly reunited Bella Vista.