The Green Pajamas will provide the music should you feel like escaping the tick of the clock.
Relationships and the world of the feminine still inspire our Seattle / Olympia psychedelic folk heroes. In their latest LP “Forever For A Little While” they continue to explore these areas. “Six Minutes In Heaven,” “Princess Misa” parts I and II, “Constance Gray,” “Touched Her That Way,” “Kimono Dream,” “Menthol Woman,” have women as their subjects. Other times it’s about relationships, in tunes like “If You Leave Me Today,” “I’ve Got Love,” and “The Devastating Night.”
While the subject matter might be traditional Pajamas, on this record lead singer and composer Jeff Kelly yields the lead vocal role on multiple songs. Eric Lichter wrote and sings lead on “Constance Gray,” “Psychedelic Sun” and “Wildly Polite.” Laura Weller wrote and sings “Give Me A Penny.” Joe Ross wrote and sings the closer “Joyride / The Happy Ending.”
“Though Jeff performed almost all of the music on this album himself, long-time Green Pajamas, Eric Lichter, Laura Weller, and Joe Ross contribute as songwriters, each singing their own compositions, Eric with three songs and Laura and Joe with one apiece. Which all adds up to a collection of startling depth and variety, a whole double-album’s worth of pop invention laced with 4-string Persian setar, tablas, synthesizers, and Jeff’s trusty Telecaster guitars and Rickenbacker bass…”
https://greenmonkeyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/forever-for-a-little-while
How does “Forever” sound? Lush, wafty, psychedelic, hypnotic. Clear. Fuzzy. It’s another wonderful soundtrack for a hazy Northwest afternoon. It’s a fusing of Indian incense and sound magik. It’s texture, twilight, twang and tempest in your speakers. Your ticket to somewhere else. No one lilts like The Pajamas.
I am finding repeat listens with “I’ve got Love,” and “Psychedelic Sun,” two songs that start simply and beautifully with piano and then build in quite different directions. “Love,” sung by Kelly, is a celebration of a feeling. It’s infectious and almost bouncy. “Sun,” fronted by Lichter, takes a moody approach but you’ll need to catch your breath as the drama hauntingly unfolds.
I should also mention another heavy rotation track, “Six Minutes In Heaven.” It kicks off the LP. Kelly is crooning about surviving these crazy times. Atmosphere builds. Guitars rumble. A door opens. Will you enter?
The folks involved in making The Green Pajamas records don’t have anything to prove to the music world. Their body of work over the years is there to embrace or ignore.
You can constantly check your watch, expecting a world that never arrives. Or you can accept the invitation to get lost in the smell and feel of tall grass after a warm early autumn rain. It’s up to you.
Time stops when Pajamas music starts. “Forever For A Little While,” indeed.
LINK: https://greenmonkeyrecords.com/green-pajamas-forever-for-a-little-while/
UNCLE EARS is a music blog written by David Falk. davidrfalk@gmail.com David was born in 1962 and gravitates towards melodies, adventure, unsigned artists, fresh discoveries. He trusts his ear to know what it likes and loves sharing what he finds. He lives near Seattle, WA, USA.
UNCLE EARS YOUTUBE: Our September 2022 Reviewed Songs Playlist
Uncle Ears 
Leave a comment