Perhapsy
Perhapsy
The Record Machine; 2009
When I first approached the music of Perhapsy, I was taken aback by the superior aptitude of the musicians. Big pop pianos are brought alongside appealing indie-rock flavored electric guitar chords, and then supported by a host of jazz-inflected guitar licks, frills, and fills on both electric and acoustic guitars. This group’s self-titled debut is a delightfully motivated project that abounds with prog, jazz, and pop textures.
Yet, as is often the case with instrumental records, the lack of lyrics can prove to be a hindrance, and this is especially the case with the smart pop of Perhapsy. It is at once friendly and catchy, but it tends to ring a bit hollow; without a singer present, things become a bit too bland and folky at times. I kept hoping for a vocalist to come along and fill the spaces on these pretty three-minute ditties, but instead, I marveled at how this would make for excellent, chill-out-before-sleep music for hip adults and/or any mythical kids they might have (which I doubt is the band’s goal).
Perhapsy is quite gifted, in terms of knowing how to craft a solid melody and provide the surrounding instrumental arrangements, as evidenced by tracks such as “The Eliphant Vanishes,” “The Balanced Equation” and “Injera.” Unfortunately, despite a sweet, pleasant spirit, the tone of the songs is lacking a bit of a spark. Here’s hoping that they can match their stylistic ambition with a bit more verve in future releases.