Peter Bradley Adams – Gather Up / 2006 Inhale Music / 11 Tracks / http://www.peterbradleyadams.com / Reviewed 16 June 2006

Peter Bradley Adams plays the brand of sedate indie rock that looks more at one’s shoes than it jerks around with the excessive movements of acts like Franz Ferdinand. In doing so, Adams’ “Gather Up” is an album that pushes on a much earlier brand of indie rock, as well as predicating eir success on the guitar that is so dominant during the opening track “Unreconciled”. There is not as much building tension present in Adams’ music as there is a gentle meandering, much as an ancient stream meanders through a valley. For those individuals that like to savor their music like a fine wine, “Gather Up” is the type of album that should be searched out. This style of music is for fans of individuals like Dave Matthews, James Blunt, and Daniel Powter, and even those who dug Chris Isaak and Matthew Sweet when they were releasing new music.

The tracks on “Gather Up” are extraordinarily solid. When one puts on a track from Adams and has already heard a few tracks by the star, individuals can forecast pretty much where ey is going to go with the song. Sure, there are hints of different styles that do make their appearance during different parts of the disc (such as the alt-country sound of “Teresa”), but there is a nucleus, a kernel of music that is feeding all the rest of the songs on the disc. The use of repetition during “Lay Your Head Down”, even as the piano plays through this morass, is something that pounds the beat deep into listeners’ hearts. Individuals could not remove Adams’ style during this track if they wanted; the quality of the track and the ability of Adams to be radio-friendly but still challenging musically should mean that individuals would not want to remove anything Adams inserts. The disc goes much quicker than the forty-five minute mark that the disc achieves would indicate.

The fact that Adams can throw together such a cohesive album and yet shake things up slightly with each subsequent tracks shows a maturity that puts eir head and shoulders above the rest of the artists in this genre. One only need hear the African-influenced harmonies during “Chant” and Adams’ role as Paul Simon-like ringmaster during the track to hear that. Definitely an album individuals should pick up, Adams’ “Gather Up” should be the next big thing for the adult contemporary set, played in offices all over the world.

Top Tracks: Unreconciled, Little Stranger

Rating: 6.9/10

[JMcQ]