The Prickly Pair – The Long Parade (2022)
Lost love and betrayal are common themes in old movies and have been picked up by The Prickly Pair for their new single ‘The Long Parade’. Inspired by the Southern Gothic works of Tennessee Williams, the single transports listeners to another time, packed with twangy lap steel guitars, swinging drums and a lively piano. Recalling the dawn of roots-rock and outlaw country, the single is quite unlike anything you are going to hear right now.
Mason Summit (vocals, bass, guitar, keyboards) and Irene Greene’s (vocals) evocative approach to music is backed by the performances of Jim Doyle (drums, percussion), John McDuffie (lap steel guitar) and Oliver Roman (vocals). Written at the height of the pandemic, the band cites ‘Sweetheart of the Rodeo’ by The Byrds as the sonic blueprint for the track. Adding their own twists and touches to the blueprint, they set us on a journey to another sonic world.
‘The Long Parade’ has a twanging tone that gets you bouncing to the retro tones without a second thought. There is an old-school vibe to the opening that takes you back in time to the heyday of roots-rock and folk. The Americana twangs of the guitars flow through the melody, before being joined by a country vibe that makes you think of open prairies and old Western frontier towns. In the verses, the melody takes a step back for the vocals to really shine, before rising with a catchy flow on the chorus. There is no way that the melody will not get you moving in some way to its rhythm. The guitar bridge is a wonder to listen to, while swinging drums have you bopping away. The piano does bring a lively vibe when it enters, but it is really the guitars and drums that make the melody.
As you are thrown back in time through the melody, the Summit and Greene’s vocals entwine beautifully. Summit’s vocals open the track with a moment of seeing someone that you think you can care for, before Greene takes the tale through the next step. The potential of love is woven into the verses, only to be dashed on the chorus as betrayal and heartbreak make their way into your senses. Throughout the single they trade off the vocals on the verses, before coming together for a delightful flow on the chorus. As you bop to the melody, their performance slides across your skin like a warm wind carrying the scent of fields alongside the tug of the track’s emotions.
The Prickly Pair bring a twang of retro Americana country vibes to soft roots-rock as they dive into a smooth tale of lost love and betrayal in ‘The Long Parade’. There is a nostalgic edge to the melody that transports you back in time to a Western frontier town. The vocals trade off in the verses, before coming together beautifully for an emotive delivery on the chorus.
Find out more about The Prickly Pair on their Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
