Pearly Gate Music: Pearly Gate Music

Pearly Gate Music
Pearly Gate Music
Barsuk Records [2010]









Fire Note Says: This is a folky grower!

Album Review:
Pearly Gate Music is actually one talented guy named Zach Tillman who brings his eclectic tastes to your front door on this self titled debut. He does however use other musicians in the process and his drumming brother Josh, from the Fleet Foxes, also lends a hand. Tillman presents very simple song structures, that have a somewhat lo-fi undertone, while still pulling in sporadic melodic harmonies that really sell each song. This approach allows the listener to take a ride with his very vivid lyrics and enables the ability to shut the window on the outside world for its complete 36 minutes. Pearly Gate Music is the perfect title as many of the songs here have an atmospheric and almost church revival vibe, as Tillman's voice represents the poet or preacher leading the service. It is the haunting quietness that surrounds Zach's voice that truly makes Pearly Gates Music an indie must for fans of this folk style, as it recreates moments made famous by greats Hank Williams to Neil Young and even more recently the harmonics of the Fleet Foxes. Pearly Gate Music is in it for the long haul as this debut really is a marathon not just a sprint!

Key Tracks: "Big Escape","Gossamer Hair", "Oh, What A Time!"

Bands With Similar Fire:
Mark Lanegan
Pete Krebs
Jeff Buckley

Pearly Gate Music MySpace
Barsuk Records

-Reviewed by Christopher Anthony