Pernice Brothers

It's always been difficult to pin down Joe Pernice. As a songwriter, he's bounced between the worlds of alt-country and power pop almost at will under numerous guises, from the Scud Mountain Boys to his most recent experiment in bridging literature and music with his novel/solo album, It Feels So Good When I Stop. However, his work with the Pernice Brothers has always stood above everything else, and Goodbye, Killer, the band's first album since 2006's Live A Little, is no exception. Pernice's dabbling in other writing projects has clearly honed his skills, as his typical combination of unforgettable melodies and rich, thoughtful lyrics sounds even more effortless now. While there are expected echoes of the Beatles, Neil Young and the Faces throughout, tracks like "Jacqueline Susann" and "The Great Depression" bear Pernice's unmistakable wit and eye for lyrical detail. It adds up to a timely reminder that Pernice's name should be mentioned more often as one of America's best contemporary songwriters.