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Pearl Handled Revolver: If The Devil Cast His ...
Pearl Handled Revolver - If The Devil Cast His Net CD Album Review

Pearl Handled Revolver: If The Devil ...

Psychedelic Progressive Rock
4.0/5.0

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Unsigned / Self-released
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 06.04.2016

The UK press, among others I suppose, from Classic Rock to Powerplay magazines, have been gushing over England's Pearl Handled Revolver for some time. Apparently, they've been mesmerized by Pearl Handled Revolver's equally mesmerizing psychedelic progressive rock. Here's their latest, and third album, If The Devil Cast His Net, my first experience with the band.

Pearl Handled Revolver Band Photo

Pearl Handled Revolver: unarmed.

After one spin through, my first conclusion, especially after hearing Absinthe In Adelaide and Into The Blue, was that Pearl Handled Revolver sounded like The Doors. Or, at the very least the were channeling that iconic and seminal band and large portion of the psychedelic late Sixties and Seventies. Mostly, this vibe some from the song atmosphere. Those fuzzed out guitars, but mostly the old school organ play throughout channeling things from Riders On The Storm to Not To Touch The Earth. Within Into The Blue, you also hear the living spirit of guitarist Robby Krieger. Yet the guitar work takes a more contemporary flair with solo in the latter part of Help Me Down From The Trees.

Alternatively, of significance to the same past era, there's a note of blues rock to PHR's music. You definitely catch this within the title track If The Devil Cast His Net. It's also a song where I hear how previous reviewers have compared the band to Tom Waits, as Lee Vernon's vocals are rather grizzly and whiskey raw, yet still sweeter than Waits, but by only the slightest teaspoon. The one thing I found when a gave If The Devil Cast His Net a few spins was that I wanted to keep listening. Between the keyboard play and swirling about, the underlying groove, and generally mysterious and ethereal atmosphere, I found the album compelling enough to be both be intrigued and entertained, from beginning to end. The album may not end up in my rotation, but it was definitely worth the time to listen. Recommended.

Pearl Handled Revolver - Absinthe In Adelaide


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In Short

Between the keyboard play and swirling about, the underlying groove, and generally mysterious and ethereal atmosphere, I found If The Devil Cast His Net compelling enough to be both be intrigued and entertained, from beginning to end. The album may not end up in my rotation, but it was definitely worth the time to listen. Recommended.

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