The Valley Star
Courtney Meloche
Local indie band The Cherry Bluestorms pack a strong power-pop-punch with “See No Evil” b/w “Dear Prudence”—the band’s first offering since “Bad Penny Opera,” their sophomore album released in 2013.
“See No Evil” is the A-side of the band’s first 7” vinyl single, which has been getting airplay locally on KROQ, and on radio stations across the globe. Kicking off with an energetic drum fill, courtesy of Mark Francis White, singer Deborah Gee playfully croons over a Wurlitzer piano and guitarist Glen Laughlin’s tasty guitar licks. As Gee sings “you don’t know what you’re missing, why don’t you stop look and listen? Open your eyes to what is all around,” the message is clear—even though living under a rock is sometimes more comfortable, awareness is necessary to affect change and eliminate the “evil” that we don’t want to see. It feels especially relevant given the upcoming election.
The B-side is a psychedelic-tinged version of the Lennon & McCartney classic “Dear Prudence.” Built upon a new guitar riff by Laughlin that is so Beatle-esque in style that you’d never know it was not featured in the original, the song subtly builds as it progresses, providing a beautiful showcase for Gee and Laughlin’s trademark parallel harmonies.
“See No Evil” b/w “Dear Prudence” was released on July 1 and is available for purchase online at www.thecherrybluestorms.com, CD Baby http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/thecherrybluestorms3, and Bandcamp https://thecherrybluestorms.bandcamp.com. It is also available to purchase in-store at Freakbeat Records (Sherman Oaks), Amoeba Music (Hollywood), and Vacation Vinyl (Silverlake).
It is also worth checking out The Cherry Bluestorms on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/thecherrybluestorms). They shot their own music video late last year for “As Above So Below” from the album “Bad Penny Opera,” which has gotten over 27,000 views since they released it on January 1. They also post a lot of live videos, where you can check out Laughlin’s guitar virtuosity and Gee’s uniquely stunning voice and stage presence first-hand.