Bill Pritchard – Mother Town Hall (2016)

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For the past two decades, Bill Pritchard has been slaying fans and critics with high-caliber creations that blend rock solid pop arrangements with frequent Tin Pan Alley and crooner flirtations. Mother Town Hall, the British singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist’s latest album, testifies to be yet another intoxicating demonstration of witty wordplay and polished musicianship.

Blessed with a smooth and elegant voice, Bill performs his aesthetically-attired songs with remarkable charm and conviction. Sweeping piano passages, regal horns and twinkling guitars further manage the presentation, which shimmers with life, love and laughs. Aside from the handsome sounds driving Mother Town Hall, pay close attention to the lyrics and you’ll be introduced to a coterie of interesting and colorful personalities.

Reeling and rolling with jangly chords and fat and frisky hooks, “Heaven” is power pop gold, “Victorious” shuffles to a funky vaudeville clip, and “My First Friendship” is designed of soft and sultry textures. A cute and carefree pop approach is applied to “Mont St. Michel,” while “The Lamplighter” possesses a moody tone and climaxes to a crushing neo-psychedelic dirge.

Surging and dipping with electrifying melodies and imaginative crooks and curves, the absolutely breathtaking Mother Town Hall is set to be released February 26, 2016 on Tapete Records. Classy but earnest, the album braids together majestic production maneuvers with a homespun feel in an a wildly attractive way. Although Bill Pritchard clearly operates by his own rules, if you like artists such as the Kinks, David Bowie, Elvis Costello and Richard Hawley, Mother Town Hall is an album you’ll definitely want to purchase.

Beverly Paterson