We’ve featured singer/songwriter PETE MOLINARI within these hallowed pages several times and we’ve always said that the British born but now US based Peter isn’t a soul man but much of his music has a definite blue-eyed soul quality and if that’s your thing, you could do worse than check out Mr M’s new album, ‘Wonderous Afternoon’. The 11 tracker is Pete’s sixth full LP and his team tell us that it’s his most soulful effort to date – because, and again we’re told, that in producer Luca Sapio, Peter found a kindred a spirit – a fellow devotee of a certain Smokey Robinson! Indeed the set’s first single, ‘Only When I Love’ proffered a hint of dear Smokey though maybe delivered in the manner of the Sextones or Aaron Frazer.
The album offers more similar sweet blue-eyed soul sounds like the Philly-flavoured ‘You’re Poetry To Me’ and the brassy ‘My Careless Heart’ . Elsewhere, the overriding flavour is the catchy pop of the 60s. ‘Rollin’ The Dice’ is a classic 60s pop throwback and if someone told you that ‘Cezanne, Cezanne’ was a long lost Monkees’ (remember them?) track you’d be inclined to believe them!
You know, there’s a lot to like about this album. Like we said, it’s not soul but there’s a soulful feel to much of the music; elsewhere plenty of catchy intrigue and interest.
PETE MOLINARI; Wonderous Afternoon; out now via Blind Faith Records.
