Great Lengths (©1994 Sparrow / Vireo)

1: Great Lengths 2: Wonder Why 3: Merry Go Round 4: The Love I Know 5: It's You Jesus 6: Trials Turned To Gold 7: Blind Man, Deaf Boy 8: See The Sun Again 9: The Grace Of God 10: Last Breath 11: Life Goes On

A strange thing happens after listening to a few PFR albums – they start to blur together and it gets hard to remember which album was which. I don’t mean this in a mean spirited way; it’s just that it all sounds the same. It the same sweet pop song over and over again. To be fair, they do mix it up a little more than I’m letting on. But the Beatlesque element does wear thin. But dang it, this album is over 10 years old, and it sounds pretty fresh.

Still, having more or less shat upon one of the best pop bands out there – there’s still a lot to like. Gordon Kennedy and Jimmie Lee Sloas (later of Dogs of Peace) are all over this, and the production and performances are first rate.

One of catchiest songs “Blind Man, Deaf Boy” sounds a lot like The Rembrandts, who were big around the same time. Go figure who came first – chicken or the egg?

Whatever the case PFR creates solid pop songs. There may not be a lot of differences between albums – just more of the same. If you like them this is a good thing, if you don’t … well why would you buy this one?

Reviewed July 28, 2005

Them (©1996 Sparrow)

1: Pour Me Out 2: Daddy Never Cried 3: Anything 4: Fight 5: Line Of Love 6: Ordinary Day 7: Tried To Tell Her 8: Face To Face 9: Them 10: Kingdom Smile 11: Say 12: Garden

PFR is a band I came to backwards playing word association: Eager, Jimmie Lee Sloas, Greg Pope. I figured there must be something to these guys. I picked up Disappear a while back, and really liked it a lot, and was on the look out for more. There is something extraordinary about these guys. I guess it's the fact they push all of my musical hot buttons. They have crunch, they have big guitars, and they have the melodic sense of the great pop artists: The Beatles, Cheap Trick, and John Denver.

From the opening chords this one grabbed me by the short hairs and didn't let up until it was over. This is coming on ten years old, and woe is me to just be discovering these guys now. Oh well, as they say better late than never.

This is a really good pop album. Of course this probably means I'll be looking for their back catalog now ... crap.

Reviewed May 17, 2005

Disappear (©2001 Squint)

1: Amsterdam 2: Gone 3: All Ready 4: Missing Love 5: Closer 6: Even A Whisper 7: Language of the Soul 8: Falling 9: Me 10: You

PFR has been around a while, but this is my first exposure to the band. They’re pretty good, and write interesting pop songs. The trio’s sound hangs in the balance between Beatlesque and atmospheric. Depending on your personal tastes this is either a good thing, or a bad thing. It would be too easy to dismiss them as a yet another in a long line of interchangeable and gutless pop acts – just about everything I like happens to fall into that category if I try hard enough (sometimes it's not hard at all). After all, face it; there really isn’t anything new under the sun out there, unless you take into account the planned Bjork – William Shatner duet of Sonny and Cher’s "I’ve Got You Babe" with John Tesh and Yanni playing duelling pianos.

It really just comes down to a couple of simple questions: Did I like it? Yes. Do I think it will it change the world and help the tonally inept learn to appreciate the intricacies of a finely crafted pop song that doesn’t have a lot of sing along choruses? No.

Who knows, maybe this was aptly named since I found it in the cheap bin, but for me it’s an enjoyable if somewhat forgettable collection of pop tunes.

Standout tracks: "Missing Love"; "Even a Whisper"; and "Me" (which sounds suspiciously like Smashing Pumpkins in places).

PS Ever notice how inconsistent my reviews are? I should come up with a template or something ... one day.

Reviewed January 6, 2005