Sgt. Pepper's Band have recently released their second CD entitled Afonso Pena Com Abbey Road. The album title is inspired by the imaginary merging of Abbey Road with Afonso Pena, the main avenue from the band's hometown of Belo Horizonte in Brazil. The Eleven tracks feature a string of famous tunes penned by Lennon & McCartney but performed by other artists. This time around S.P.B. also includes three early songs recorded by the Beatles but never officially released until the Anthology. The band closes with their very own composition: Two Wars, a track that was later re-recorded in Abbey Road Studios.
The album opens brightly with Tip of My Tongue, a song orignally recorded by Tommy Quickly in 1963. The Quickly-time version has been slowed down here, and peppered with a healthy dose of Penny Lane. The familiar bass line and a Bach Trumpet (a synth version I suspect) create a tune perfect for those days when the blue suburban "skies are not so blue".
Sgt. Pepper's first CD featured three Billy J. Kramer numbers, and this time around they include I'll Keep You Satisfied. This track is given the I Call Your Name treatment, with a cowbell at no extra charge. You Can't Do That (screams and all) also makes an appearance during the middle eight. Although I'm a big fan of the ingredients I can't say this particular mixture works for me...no problem, 'cause the next one certainly does!
This is a killer track. George's early composition, You Know What to Do, didn't see the light of day until it was included on Anthololgy 1 back in November of '95. I don't know if the "Quiet One" has heard this version, but I can't help but think he'd be pleased. George fans will especially enjoy the vocals and slide guitar work, and there's even a little something for Beach Boys fans. I don't know what else to say except that I've listened to this track more than Vertical Man and Sir George's In My Life. I give it a 10 out of 10, Five Stars, and Two Thumbs Up.
If you read my review of Come and Get It you'll know I really enjoyed Pepper's version of Cilla Black's It's For You. This album features two of Cilla's big hits, the first of which is Step Inside Love (#8 in the UK Charts). The band cleverly weaves two Beatles tunes into this track: the main thread being Got to Get You Into My Life; and the lead guitar from I Want To Tell You being the other.
The AppleJacks version of Like Dreamers Do is one of my favourites, and I've always wondered why it stalled at #20 in the charts (must have been something to do with the competition). This track is a Country Western version, inspired heavily by the Beatle's For You Blue. Unfortunately the steel guitars didn't work for me in 1969, and they still don't thirty years later. I'm just not a C-W kinda guy, and let's face it...if Shania Twain can't bring me around - who can?!. Hell, until three months ago I thought Garth Brooks was a small town in Oregon.
Next up is the second Anthology-related track, If You've Got Troubles, perhaps one of the most bootlegged Beatles songs of all-time. The S.P.B. recording is a fun one, and would be a great choice for a Radio station contest...it contains at least seven different Beatles riffs!
If this were an LP it would be time to check out the B-side....and a fine b-side it is! All five tracks are excellent and provide a nice mix of rockers, ballads and pop tunes. First up is In Spite of All the Danger, the only song ever credited to Harrison-McCartney. It's performed here with an unmistakeable Oh Darling flavour, and a very positive lead vocal makes this a superb track... believe me darling!
The Fourmost's recording of Hello Little Girl is another of my favourites. The Pepper version takes the original recipe and spices it up with I'm Happy Just to Dance With You harmonies and What You're Doing guitar riffs.
The second Cilla Black track, Love of the Loved, will be ranked by many as the best on the album. A beautiful acoustic ballad replete with lilting harmonies and exquistite guitar playing. It could be compared to I'll Be Back, or perhaps the band's version of Goodbye - the highlight of their first release.
George wrote Sour Milk Sea and also produced the Jackie Lomax recording for the Apple artist's Is This What You Want? LP. Pepper lets it all hang out on this track, and the result is a straight forward rock rendition which works better than the original...at least in my opinion. A nice surprise!
The closing track is a Sgt. Pepper's Band original composition entitled Two Wars. On their website the band makes the comment that they hope this track is worthy of being included on a CD full of Lennon-McCartney originals. I think it fits quite nicely. Two Wars is a powerful Pop ballad with a serious message and a catchy hook. The song has an early 80's feel to it, possibly an Alan Parsons-like presence? If so, it provides a fitting destination for what has been a thoroughly enjoyable journey across the imaginary intersection of Alfonso Pena and Abbey Road.
Review Summary
Title: Afonso Pena Com Abbey Road
Artist: Sgt. Pepper's Band - Aggeu Marquesm, Marcos Gauguin, Jo Rocha, Beto Arreguy, Marcelo Carrato
Purchase: I am not aware of any stores or websites currently carrying it. However you can contact the band directly and find out how to obtain a copy. For more information on the band visit their Website.