Pariah Beat's album Bury Me Not is largely a raw, unpolished, and imperfect affair but there are great moments worth seeking out. The album's first two tracks ("Bury Me Not" and "Copper Mine") suffer from somewhat crowded musical arrangments and slightly unwieldy vocals that make the lyrics difficult to make out. But the subsequent track "I Don't Wanna Go to Heaven" is a simple banjo-laced delight. "Elvis In Jersalem" is an upbeat and energetic track with an organic-sounding melody and production.
Members Nick Charyk, Emily Eastridge, and Billy Sharff share vocal duties, dueting occasionally, and they display some notable vocal chemistry. They trade off verses on the bluegrass barn-burner "Bend Down Your Birches" in a sprightly performance that makes the track a highligh of the album. Emily bends her notes every which way in a nuanced delivery of the bluesy "Ms Ella Strickland" - possibly one of the album's best tracks.
While it may not be a perfect record, and it ends all too soon after nine tracks, Bury Me Not as a whole is characterized by an uninhibited spunk and a raw earthy quality that makes it a fresh and entertaining listen for those willing to seek it out.
PARIAH BEAT'S SCORE: 7
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)
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"ELVIS IN JERUSALEM" MUSIC VIDEO