Alan Haber's Pure Pop Radio

By Alan Haber – Pure Pop Radio

Famous Groupies | The Furry White Album (2020)

Seanair Patrick “Paisley” McKenzie isn’t the first rediscovered or discovered-for-the-first-time-after-a-long-time compositional savant I have encountered, but he is clearly the most prodigious, as evidenced by the trove of delightful songs from the sixties and seventies, both complete and in-process, left in the hands of his grandson, Kirkcaldy.

For three albums now, the latest being The Furry White Album, a glowing love letter to the sounds of yesteryear, Kirkcaldy and his five-piece band of merry fellow travelers have, along with some perfectly placed guests, been tidying up Patrick’s creations and recording them for posterity and our mutual enjoyment. The Furry White Album, 17 songs strong, helps spread the Patrick love with Wings’ Laurence Juber, Rosie Abbott, and retro-pop purveyor Dana Countryman in tow; the results are marvelous and earworm inducing.

Channeling, through Patrick’s wide-angle lens, certain of yesteryear’s classic, original pop scribes, Kirkcaldy and crew draw lovely sound pictures that celebrate the sounds that will undoubtedly last a lifetime. To wit: “Little Bird” reminds one of the pure, aching honesty of Paul McCartney’s bouncy piano balladry; “Maggie’s Farm” calls for steady toe tapping as its bluesy pop filters through a bagpipes-colored, faux Appalachian workout a la the Band, and the Nilsson-esque “Ghostwriter” channels a courtship worthy of Eddie’s father.

The songs of The Furry White Album speak for themselves; the performances are perfectly played. That Kirkcaldy continues to mine the output of his talented grandfather and present it to us in a succession of releases is a continuing gift that keeps on giving. The Furry White Album proves that good songs that touch the heart and soul can originate and thrive in any decade.

Another Famous Groupies collection, The Chameleon Sessions, is promised for this year. Begin saving your pennies now.

Where to Get It: Famous Groupies

Alan Haber’s Pure Pop Radio is the premier website covering the melodic pop scene with in-depth reviews of new and reissued recordings, interviews and a wide variety of features.