PR Newman
Turn Out
Reviewed by Rachel Rascoe, Fri., Jan. 26, 2018
On his debut as PR Newman, Spencer Garland excels at a charming, clamorous jangle. Accented by horns, harmonica, handclaps, and whistles, Turn Out's big-band jaunt presents the former Berkshire Hound's own brand of groovy twang-pop, unafraid of garage rock ("But, No") or soul ("Right Here, Yeah, Ya"). A multitude of sounds coalesce organically in Garland's most Americana moments ("Whatever Happened," "Damn, I Miss That Guy") as strung together by engineer Daniel McNeill. Local scene vets including Mike St. Clair from White Denim and Brendan Bond of A. Sinclair feature in the lineup. Reflecting these manifold collaborators, the jumble of genres between songs and varied instrumentals actually acts as a unifier, 11 tracks of well-executed hodgepodge.
