PFR

Item: Goldie's Last Day
Author: Beth Blinn

Goldie's Last Day

(1993)

Reviewed by Beth Blinn

Discogs Apple Music TIDAL Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Music

Label Vireo RecordsThe LighthouseJanuary 1994

ccm pop rock power pop

From the moment that I heard the banjo intro on Goldie's Last Day, the second album by PFR (formerly Pray For Rain), I knew I was in for a treat. After observing this threesome at a press conference at the Creation festival last summer, one thing I knew to expect was the unexpected. And I wasn't disappointed-that banjo intro all of a sudden turned into some guitar riffs that wouldn't be out of place on a King's X album.

Comprised of Joel Hanson (guitar), Patrick Andrew (bass) and Mark Nash (drums), PFR has grown a lot since their self-titled (at the time) debut album. Not to lead you astray-regardless of the aforementioned comparison to King's X, PFR hasn't turned into a hard-rock outfit. But, their music does have more of an edge this time around. It's pop-rock at its finest-music with lots of energy and tons of hooks that stick in your head.

The album kicks off with "Walk Away From Love." The song rocks harder than anything that was on the debut album. The next cut, "By Myself," showcases some of the great harmony that the group has become known for, and some great lyrics. "Cornered at a costume ball/By a handful of disguises/So I tried them all on/And they were all the right sizes/I wore them obliviously/Though they would choke the life from me."

"That Kind of Love," the third cut, is the only one not penned by one of the group. Written by Gordon Kennedy (former guitarist for White Heart) and Jenny Yates, it also has a great line-"Oh where does that kind of love come from/They say that it runs in His blood."

The title cut is an unabashed tribute to The Beatles. Written about Goldie, who was a family pet that belonged to one of the members, there's nothing spiritual about the song-it's just a great, funny, bittersweet tribute to a loved one. (As a further example of this group's wacky humor, the pre-release cassette came with a dog bone tied to it.) It starts out with the sound of harps and ends with "Taps."

There isn't a weak song on the album. My favorite, however, is probably the last one-"Wait For The Sun." It's got a great message, a great melody, and at the end, it turns into a full-blown chorus of "Let The Sun Shine In," complete with Wurlitzer organ and horns. A great ending to a great album.