Album Review: Pedro Pereira - Last Man On The Planet

By Ara Ajizian

If there's one thing I love writing about more than gear, it's music itself. Which is why I was thrilled to sneak these CD reviews into my job description! It's also been a great way to be introduced to new music—something I'm not always good at doing on my own. I like the bands I like, often to the point where I tell myself (despite the 10,000 songs in my iTunes library), "Dude, you need to check out some new stuff." Oftentimes a new artist takes a while to grow on me, but I was pleasantly surprised right from the start with Pedro Pereira and his debut CD, Last Man On The Planet.

Last Man On The Planet is a remarkable set of smart, catchy pop songs, complete with first-class musicianship and production. There's a familiarity in many of the songs—a quality that some may frown upon, but that I feel is a signature merit of pop music. Sure, there's plenty of groundbreaking music out there, and folks who are stretching sonic boundaries, but pop still reigns supreme, and those who can do it well deserve all the praise they get. Pereira's collection of songs is definitely worth such praise.

The album opens with "Wish," and right from the opening drum beat the aforementioned familiarity kicks in. With upbeat guitar strumming and Pereira's unique vocals, which remind me of a cross between Roy Orbison and David Byrne, the song is the perfect opener for this set of tunes. It gives the listener a great overview of what follows—cleverly crafted, concise songs that don't beat around the bush or try to be something they aren't.

Album Cover: Pedro Pereira - Last Man On The Planet

That's not to say there isn't variety on the album, because there is plenty. The fourth track, "Before I Wake," features a tremolo-laden guitar that lends itself to the song's CCR vibe. "Nobody" is a quiet ballad centered around an acoustic guitar accentuated with lonesome slide leads. "Everything" boasts an island-shuffle feel, as do "The Island" and the album's closer, "Saudade."

Lyrically, Pereira sculpts passages that fit the music perfectly and inspire a number of moods. From the Dylan-esque flow of the title track to the Portuguese-sung "Saudade," Pereira clearly recognizes the importance of both lyrics and vocal delivery to the overall effectiveness of his songs.

From a production standpoint, the album shines. The entire recording/production process is credited to Doug Kwartler, right down to the mastering. It's evident Kwartler knows his stuff—the mix is perfect despite a number of instruments being present on the album. Kwartler also lended his skills as a player to a number of tracks; he's credited with multiple instruments in the liner notes as well as background vocals.

When I was younger, I used to cringe at the word "pop" if it was used to describe someone's music, expecting something vapid and meaningless. As I've matured, I've come to realize that's not the case, and that music that is ripe with emotion and skill can also fit this description. Pedro Pereira's Last Man On The Planet encompasses outstanding musicianship, songwriting, and performance on every level. Pop means popular, and music like this deserves to be popular.

Check out Pedro Pereira on the web at http://www.myspace.com/pedromusic and http://www.unsigned.com/pedropereira.

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