Bare As Bone, Bright As Blood
Snapper Music, 2020
http://www.theprettythings.com/
REVIEW BY: Mark Kadzielawa
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 12/05/2020
The Pretty Things was a great British rock band from the ‘60s that had an amazing career for several decades. Just last year, they played several farewell shows, so this album comes as a real surprise. As it turned out, the band was saying goodbye to tours and long performances. 
This release combines guitarist Dick Taylor and singer Phil May, along with several guest musicians. It’s an acoustic blues record, and as the title suggests, the band really went back to the basics to rediscover what made them want to be musicians in the first place. So, it’s a very laidback affair with all trademarks present from the two creators.
Sadly, vocalist Phil May, passed away shortly after completing this recording, so this is his final opus. It’s a very reflective record regardless of what events took place. The songs on this record are covers, some rearranged in very interesting and creative ways. There is sincerity running through these songs in how they are presented. The band was certainly going for a specific mood, and they definitely achieved that.
Tracks like “Another World,” “Come Into My Kitchen,” or the closing “I’m Ready” definitely create a cool blues club atmosphere. It’s just pure heartbroken blues. Sheryl Crow’s “Redemption” definitely stands out, presented here in a very apocalyptic mood, as if the impending doom was only minutes away. I absolutely love this version and all the life experience put into these words.
Bare As A Bone, Bright As Blood is not what I’ve come to expect from an album by The Pretty Things, but it is an incredible surprise. That’s what makes it so vital. It’s a complete left turn but not a departure. It’s definitely a gem and most likely a swansong considering the circumstances.