Pernice Brothers: "Monkey Suit"

This is my weekly reminder to listen to Sinking with Sylvia (and Sometimes Todd) on Little Radio tomorrow from 11:00AM to 1:00PM. I don't think they'll have a guest on tomorrow, but it will be fun to hear them bicker and they'll probably be giving away some pretty good tickets for some Goldenvoice show you want to go to.

As you know, I get to select one song each week. Then I recap why I chose that song on this blog. On September 20th, I chose the song "Monkey Suit" by Pernice Brothers. For my money, Joe Pernice is one of the most underrated songwriters around. The guy isn't obscure by any means, but I still don't think he gets the credit he deserves.

Pernice was in an alt-country, Sub Pop band called Scud Mountain Boys that I never found all that interesting. He got bored with the limitations of that and started the Pernice Brothers, releasing Overcome By Happiness in 1998. It was a pretty big departure (although Pitchfork would argue that) with Pernice showing off the Big Star, Teenage Fanclub, Brian Wilson and Left Banke influences. Pernice got in a pretty big feud with Sub Pop and now self releases his stuff.

"Monkey Suit" encapsulates what I like about Pernice's songwriting. He's obviously a sensitive guy (but he likes sports too, although that's not in the song) and the song describes the existential dilemma most of us face when we head off to work each day. We've all felt the life drain out of us on the commute to work. Pernice writes sad lyrics with a great melody over an upbeat pop song. It's something his heroes Morrissey and Marr did so well in the Smiths. If you're into power pop, orchestra pop and sunshine pop but you're not familiar with the Pernice Brothers, check them out.

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