Jerry Pines – “Peaceful Waters” / “Magnificent Frigatebird”

Jerry Pines – “Peaceful Waters” / “Magnificent Frigatebird” – Singles Review

From what I’ve read, “Peaceful Waters” was “written on a sailing trip in the Sea of Cortez in Baja California Sur, Mexico.”  This guy I tell ya…Jerry lives such a different life from my own, and I love that.  I’ve really enjoyed the guy’s from what I’ve heard to-date on his Heaven EP and reviewing its title track last year in February…it’s not really my regular thing, whatever that might be, but I do dig this man’s unique approach to Indie Folk.  He’s got the right idea on this track for sure, and a wonderful array of colorful instrumentation surrounding his naturally sweet vocals.  He endlessly reminds me of Dave Pirner’s voice in the way that he sings, but if you’re a fan of the man, which I am, then obviously that becomes a pretty damn good thing right quick.  “My Spanish is improving, but the locals still laugh” is a brilliant opening line that anyone out there that has traveled to a land where their own language isn’t the dominant one can appreciate.  I’ll put it to you this way…I’m heavily reliant on the head nod while I’m outside of Canada, which is rare, but it happens.  I have next to no real hope of learning about anything that’s not music – I just don’t have the hard drive space for it – so believe me when I tell ya, my capacity to learn a whole other language does not exist…just ask my former French and Italian teachers.  Anyhow!  I appreciate songs with titles that echo the sound of what we hear…it wouldn’t make much sense for a song with “Peaceful” in its title to have a war-like vibe goin’ on, now would it?  I love the selection of instrumentation he’s got within this song…the main elements like the guitar, bass, and keys all sparkle & shine as they play a strong role, but it’s actually everything else in the mix that adds the most vibrant color to the song and ends up standing out the most, providing you with an exceptionally beautiful combination of sound that’s nowhere near typical, yet fits together like it’s all in perfect harmony.  And ain’t that what real peace is all about y’all?  You’re supposed to feel like there’s nothing out of place whatsoever…no disruptions, no distractions, nothing out of line…peaceful vibes seem like they possess a natural cadence that speaks sweetly to the soul, which this single does.  His lyrical imagery, ideas, and vocals really make the most difference though…Jerry sings with remarkably tangible passion and purpose, and it’s something I genuinely admire in the music he makes.  “Paradise is here on Earth, I know it exists” – you believe him when he sings this line of “Peaceful Waters” because it sounds like Pines has the kind of worldly experience and insight that leads him to the tremendous conviction and commitment he brings to his crafted songwriting.  The most you’ll find me conceding to ya is that it’s often hard to get the masses truly pumped up about hearing anything you’d describe as peaceful, but I feel like there are more than enough beautiful qualities in the music & vocals of this single that Jerry’s island-esque vibes should stand a strong chance of connecting with listeners.

Man…I just looked up what a frigatebird is…and these creatures look…hmm…uncomfortable?  Like they packed an extra bag for traveling, but like, underneath their chin?  Seems like what you’d get if you were able to cross a bullfrog with a pelican, maybe a little flying squirrel in there for good measure, and then flipped the ol’ switch in Frankenstein’s lab to shrink it down a little.  Anyhow…it’s been no secret to me that Jerry and I probably live completely opposite lives since the day I started listening to his music, which I think is why I dig what he does as much as I do, because it’s always a unique experience to me.  He’s always out there in nature somewhere, being inspired by the land or nature or something like that, while I’m relentlessly inside hiding from the sun and trying not to acknowledge the valley of malls that the world has become.  We roll in different circles, but it’s those same differences that make life interesting, especially to an isolated introvert like me.  I look at folks like Jerry and I’m nothing but envious…he does things!  I should do things one day.  At a short 1:23 in length, I don’t think Pines was setting out to make the song of the year with “Magnificent Frigatebird” so much as give his A-side a B-side to go along with it, you know what I mean?  And I appreciate that, because I can remember all the way back to when music was typically released like that.  When you listen to the DNA of this song, it feels like it was conceived right out there in the thick of the swamp…I don’t know if that’s a jaw harp or a vibraslap or something else that makes the boingy sound we’re hearing, but you’ll recognize the odd backwoods feeling it creates.  Jerry’s one washboard and set of jugs short of doin’ it like they used to on “Magnificent Frigatebird,” but I’d be willing to bet most of his fans out there will dig the simplicity in this tune.  There’s a poetry and natural sweetness in this song that resonates and seems perfectly suited to the person we all believe Jerry Pines would be like.  “You were born a wandering boy, that’s what you’ll always be” – it’s a line that rings true as true can be on “Magnificent Frigatebird” – Pines seems like he’s one of those folks with a vagabond soul…a ‘home is where my hat is’ salt of the earth type person.  I could be wrong about that, but that’s always been my impression of him.  It works though…as short as it is, I felt like we still got a solid & sweet song out of Jerry on this B-side to his main single…it might not rise quite to the level of allure that “Peaceful Waters” contains, but it’s a good track to keep it company.

Find out more about Jerry Pines from his official website at:  https://jerrypinesmusic.com

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