Pete Pidgeon and Arcoda

Pete Pidgeon is nominated in the Funk/Soul/R&B category as one of the top 8 such bands in Denver along with Analog Son, ATOMGA, CRL CRRLL, Kitty Crimes, The Other Black, Povi Tamu, and Rowdy Shadehouse. - Westword Magazine

...motivation is what [Pete] had the second he hit the streets of Denver. From day one, he ingrained himself in the scene, hustled to get shows, [and] appeared on the “Songs of Their Own Series” leading up to the GD50 Grateful Dead reunion shows. - Marquee Magazine

According to ReverbNation, Pete Pidgeon & Arcoda is currently the number one Americana band in Denver... - AXS.com

[Pete Pidgeon] - the guitarist and vocalist who leads the Denver-based Pete Pidgeon and Arcoda - recorded without his bandmates, offering a touching solo rendition backed only by his subtle dobro playing. - Jambase.com

Pete Pidgeon is nominated in the following categories for the 2016 Rock Awards:
Songwriter of the Year - Pete Pidgeon
Solo Performance of the Year - Pete Pidgeon
Guitarist of the Year - Pete Pidgeon
Male Vocalist of the Year - Pete Pidgeon
Original Rock Performance - Pete Pidgeon and Arcoda
R&B/Soul/Funk Performance - FUNK (Pete is a member)
Jazz Performance - Thurston Group (Pete is a member)
Music Teacher of the Year - Pete Pidgeon - The Rock Awards

No one in the hall could complain about Arcoda's performance. Like professionals, they played like it was a sold-out show and they challenged us to be an audience worthy of that experience. - Jester Jay

Part of what makes [Pete] fit in so well [in Denver] is his earnest, engaging nature and his open stylistic approach that includes pop, Americana, jazz, and even some funk. - Jester Jay

Beautiful. Wow, I'm impressed! - VRDO Radio - Raven on the Rock

[Pete Pidgeon is] a full time musician with Pete Pidgeon and Arcoda and [has] established a credible musical identity. - Glide Magazine

It’s not often I’m first grabbed by a voice. Normally it’s the production or plainly the overall sound of what I’m hearing. Rarely do I focus in on one piece and say “YES, I LOVE THIS”.

Listening to Pete Pidgeon I’m immediately drawn to his voice. So strong yet so smooth. It’s no wonder that the former manager of Jeff Buckley, Jack Bookbinder is now [advising] Pete. The comparison is there but one you wouldn’t immediately pick up on.

For all the NYC folks out there, Pete Pidgeon is having his CD release party this Saturday, October 9th at The Living Room in NYC. From the sounds of the EP, this is going to be a show not to miss.

Recorded in Nashville at the amazing Sony Studios “A Room”, the EP sounds phenomenal, is phenomenal, and will be a record to put on repeat. Need further proof of the awesomeness? Mr. Eric Gorman (Herbie Hancock) mixed this EP. Trust me, it’s great.

But most importantly I recommend all in NYC to make out to The Living Room for the CD release party. I can pretty much promise an amazing night of music. - dyson sound

[Pete] is an incredible singer, songwriter, and guitarist. - Two Ton Music Show

Live performances and interview - Dave and Giggles Radio Hour

by Linda Laban, December 17, 2007

The songs on Pete Pidgeon and Arcoda's "Doubt is For Losers" are as sparklingly positive as its title suggests. This self-produced, self-released effort (one of several, mostly live discs, released since 1998) combines funk, gospel, AM radio pop, Broadway, and jazz. Conviction, if not downright fervor, carries him far. That and a solid band, which includes Dap Kings/ John Scofield drummer Eric Kalb. Oddly, or not, the disc isn't touched by any musical influences past the mid 1970s. - Boston Metro

"Doubt Is, Indeed, For Losers"
By Julie Min

Pete Pidgeon imagines himself standing alone in the middle of a field, totally stripped of everything, isolated from the world. The lead singer and creative force behind Pete Pidgeon and Arcoda - the Boston-based rock/jazz/funk/ band - has very specific ideas of how music and creativity should manifest themselves. “If you can isolate yourself from the world around you, that’s when the ideas creep into your consciousness. Having an open mind and no one telling you what to do changes your creative flow,” says Pidgeon.

Inspiration comes to him suddenly, in flashes of vision, and he will do anything to stay true to it. For his newest album, Doubt Is For Losers, Pidgeon was set on having fully orchestrated arrangements. He then decided to arrange each part separately and then spend extra money and time in recording and producing each instrument individually. Conceptually, like a jazz-influenced Sgt. Pepper’s or a less moody Pet Sounds, the album is an example of genre-defining pop excellence. With twists and turns of lush chords and arrangements, Pidgeon is very aware of the fact that he can get a bit excessive, in a good way.

“I have visions of grandeur,” he says. “I don’t have realistic boundaries.” The process of songwriting and production is, to him, a constant mission. He says, “I’m a songwriter by birth and by nature of who I am. It’s my spirit.”

But even this unshakable faith in his creative prophecy is susceptible to the human forces of insecurity and indecision. Doubt Is For Losers is an attempt to address and confront these struggles with doubt. The album begins optimistically with upbeat melodies and orchestral arrangements with titles like “Dream With Me,” “You’re My Girl,” and the title track. However, the album gets darker (and a lot more rock n’ roll) as songs such as “Treading Water” and “The Crusher” roll onto the scene. Things don’t look up again until the end of the album, with upbeat songs like “Julie” and “(I’m) Here With You.”

Indeed, Pidgeon has had to overcome artistic and financial hurdles to get this latest album produced. He’s been through trying periods of doubt and debt - moments when he’s wondered if it was all worth it. Though with a small support system of friends, he’s been able to keep an optimistic outlook on his art. “I know what I want. It doesn’t matter how much money or time it’s going to take. I’m going to do it right. Even if it takes tens of thousands of dollars and two years.”

The challenges he’s overcome in doggedly pursuing his artistic vision has led him to believe that, surely enough, doubt is for losers. “When you start to doubt that you can accomplish something, you’ve already lost. In that instant, you’re over. As long as you don’t doubt yourself, you can do anything you want,” Pidgeon adds.

And through the melodic pop grandeur of Doubt, Pidgeon has yet to reconcile himself to the idea that perhaps there’s more to life than a relentless faith in his artistry. What he desires most is recognition from his peers. “The long term goal for me is respect of my peers, and that if somebody asked who I was, they would know who I was, and understand how much work I put into music.”

This is a constant struggle for Pidgeon. His music is something that he wants to make independently and pursue relentlessly, regardless of convention or tradition. But what he longs for most of all is recognition and acceptance from the world around him.

Pete Pidgeon has overcome his doubt. It’s obvious. But it seems he’s still looking for more. When he finds it - if he does - maybe his strict notions of art and being will evolve to something else. When he comes to reconcile his artistic vision with his more worldly needs, perhaps he’ll no longer be standing alone in the middle of his field of dreams. - Northeast Performer Magazine

"Doubt Is For Losers" is an album of elevated pop songs from the acclaimed Boston band. Ambitious arrangements and intrumentation (over 80 instruments are listed), proper tunes and sweet vocal harmonies come together with a comfortable Americana vibe and it’s no surprise that Levon Helm played on the debut album. From interviews online, they seem to be going for broke with this release, and so they should. It oozes confidence and class - what can possibly go wrong? Inspired pop for the masses, done right, and great artwork, too. www.petepidgeon.com
Rob Forbes - Leicester Bangs (UK)

"Pete Pidgeon Aims High With Arcoda"
Locals to celebrate new release at Bill's Bar Friday Night
by Jed Heneberry, Managing Editor
November 9, 2007

You can’t say Pete Pidgeon isn’t trying. On his new full-length album with his band Arcoda, Doubt Is For Losers, Pidgeon plays over 30 of the 89 odd instruments on the record, all while serving as the producer, art director, manager, booking agent, and songwriter. “The important thing is that I’ll be getting more sleep in the next week or so than I have in the last year and a half,” Pidgeon quips.

That grueling recording process is a result of Pidgeon’s intense drive to succeed in his desire to make music for a living. “When I realized I was going to be turning 30 soon I realized I had to get my act together,” says Pidgeon. “If I’m gonna do it I’m gonna do it now. I really went all out and did everything I could possibly do on this record so that if it didn’t succeed, then I could look back and say that there was nothing else I could have done.”

The result is an album steeped in the staples of pop tradition, importing blues from Motown, horns from soul, strings from The Beatles, and filtering it all through a virtuosity which stems from the jazz tradition. Standout song “What?” contains many of these influences all within its constantly shifting arrangement.

“There was just so much work going into that tune,” Pidgeon says of the song. “It started out as just me playing the chords on the acoustic guitar, but it had so much more potential that I decided to go all out and get the whole orchestra involved. Even just tracking down someone who played the tympani was a process.”

Doubt’s grandiose ambitions are a far cry from Arcoda’s beginnings at SUNY New Paltz in the Hudson River Valley. Pidgeon moved to Boston after outgrowing the local scene and linked up with The Slip and members of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones during Arcoda’s early time in the hub.

“That scene was really bumping at the time,” Pidgeon explains. “Then about a year after it dried up. And not until about a year ago did it seem like anything was happening. There’s a good scene now that’s starting to brew up in the Boston area, Zox, Bon Savants, Bang Camaro, all those bands are starting to make a great buzz for the scene now.”

Pidgeon and Arcoda will celebrate the release of Doubt Is For Losers this Friday at Bill’s Bar on Lansdowne Street. Accompanying the band will be four-piece horn section Two Dolla Crack Horns.

“If the amount of work that I’ve put into the album is any display of the potential of the live show then people should expect a lot from it,” promises Pidgeon. “The show is very tight. Think of a James Brown Soul review where it hits very hard and the tension is there the whole time, we don’t let up. It’s going to be a very exciting show. We’re not going out there to just play the songs.”

Indeed, Pidgeon is way past just playing the songs. He’s now playing them with a definite purpose, a sense of ambition with a hint of desperation that reveals just how important making music is to him. And if Pidgeon’s own personal dedication and intensity is any indication, Arcoda will continue to make music for a long time to come.

Pete Pidgeon and Arcoda play Bill’s Bar Friday, November 9. Doubt Is For Losers is available at www.petepidgeon.com, along with more information about the band. - BostonMusicSpotlight.com

Pete Pidgeon and Arcoda Deliver Inventive, Original Music
by Michael Witthaus

I wanted to write about the Grammys this week. I was pleased by the Academy's awkward yet spirited defense of free speech evidenced in the Dixie Chicks sweep of all their nominations. The only thing worse than stealing music, they said, is trying to stop musicians from creating it. They closed ranks around The Chicks - a noble thing. But I lost interest in the broadcast the moment The Police finished playing "Roxanne." Don't feel bad if you missed it. You should have seen Pete Pidgeon and Arcoda's set last Saturday at The Heritage, however. Those who did enjoyed an inventive and thoroughly enjoyable band. I'd heard some of their MP3s, but really wasn't sure what to expect. Their most recent EP, "Happy Song," is smoother than 20 dollar gin. In particular, "The Myth" blusters with Lucretia McEvil horn charts; Pete Pidgeon holds down the center with wicked guitar triplets and fifth-gear-on-an-icy-road vocals. On record, they take all that's great about melting pot Americana music and add a few drops of high-energy hot sauce. But what if it was all overdubs, multitracking and multiple takes? How would they sound in a bar surrounded by pool tables, milling patrons and NASCAR beer lights? Turns out I needn't have worried. My first indication that Arcoda has a knack for pulling musical rabbits out of their hat was their arrangement of Howlin' Wolf's "Little Red Rooster." Most everyone does it as a slow growling blues. Arcoda gave it their own stamp by turning it into a booty-shaking jump shuffle. Pete Pidgeon plays guitar like a roadhouse Pat Metheny, with a dash of prog-rock spiderfingers thrown in, on a big, hollowbodied Gibson six-string more typically seen in the hands of guys working behind monogrammed bandstands. He has the easy, natural touch of George Benson combined with the frenetic fret-ranging of Yes's Steve Howe. My favorite number of the evening was "Funk #49," a James Gang song from 30 years back. Arcoda gave it their own shape, playing the 4/4 intro as a Jimi Hendrix burlesque, then shifting into blistering solo trade-offs between Pidgeon and talented second guitarist Kurt Schellenberg. Don't miss them on their next trip to town. - Claremont Eagle Times

"Walk with the confidence of the victor and he you shall become. Doubt is for losers." Pete Pidgeon preaches his message of confidence through "Doubt Is For Losers", a playfully schizophrenic mix of Americana, hard rock, funk, jazz, folk, gospel, pop. Surprisingly, it works. Each track conveys a sense of hope, independence and optimism without beating the listener over the head with cheesy life-lessons. The catchy and theatrical vocal hooks don't fall far from Sufjan Stevens and Paul Simon, though the direct comparisons end there.

The album features highly extensive production and instrumentation within the oft-shifting arrangements. "Faz" is a two-and-a-half-minute, hard-hitting, King Crimson-esque track featuring full string orchestrations and manic vocals. The following track, "What?," which also offers tightly orchestrated horn, string and timpani parts, sounds straight out of a Broadway songbook. Throughout the album, Pidgeon's vocals maintain a sense of purpose and confidence, in turn allowing a cohesive sonic voice to emerge through this seemingly random collection of shifting styles.

Although the album's all-star cast is huge (with musicians' credits in the liner notes reading like a phone book), drummer Erick Kalb (DAP Kings, John Scofield) and Nate Edgar (John Brown's Body) serve as worthy contributors, though it's clear that Pidgeon is inarguably the music's driving force, serving as the key songwriter, producer and even art director.

"Doubt Is For Losers" is a masterful record that deserves serious listens. - Northeast Performer Magazine

Soulful personal reflections is perhaps the optimal way to describe the musical journey Pete Pidgeon guides listeners through in his latest solo offering "In The Name of Megan Smith". Gone are the high-energy pop sounds Pete Pidgeon and Arcoda released on its 2007 album "Doubt Is For Losers". Pidgeon’s solo sound consists entirely of gently woven acoustic guitars, violins and soft percussion behind tender, sometimes pleading, vocals finessing lyrics such as “Find your strength within/ don’t let ‘em get you down/” and “Is it just the voice inside/ the echoes of conversations ever had.” Consider these musical musings from the dark night of the soul. - Relix Magazine

Get out your handkerchiefs, folks.

Not only does Pete Pidgeon’s In the Name of Megan Smith feature the result of some serious vocal woodshedding by the Brooklyn-based musician – he’s also mastered the art of turning your heart totally inside-out. Pidgeon’s singing chops have always set him apart from the pack (beginning with his work on 2003’s …At First Sight), but on his latest album, he displays a simply fearless mastery of feel-the-note-and-it-will-come vocals. Combine that with a collection of soul-baring tunes and you have an album whose beauty and openness are almost enough to make you blush.

If Pidgeon’s past efforts established him as conversant in the art of jampop, Megan Smith finds him a talented translator of the language of the heart. There’s no smoke or mirrors on this album – the instrumentation is sparse (and mostly acoustic) and Pidgeon’s vocals are as untreated as they are untethered. (No Auto-Tune gimmickry here, folks.)

“Love is love is love is love,” Pidgeon assures us over a gently-rippling piano on “Soon To Be Sunday”, while “This Opening” feels as familiar on the first listen as an old Harry Nilsson tune. On “Enlightened”, Pidgeon’s guitar easily swings from moments of flamenco-flavored percussion to lovely Stephen Stills-ish chording while dancing with his vocals. The righteous centerpiece of the album, however, is the title tune.

Go back to Joshua Tree-era U2, give Edge a mandolin instead of an electric guitar and loop pedal, and you might come close to the slow-building wallop of “In the Name of Megan Smith”. (By the way, the tune is named for a long-vanished love from Pidgeon’s elementary school days.) The emotion rolls in like gentle surf through the first couple of verses, gathering momentum until it peaks in a lovely cascade of sweetly trilling mando, timpani-entwined acoustic guitar, and heartfelt vocals by Pidgeon. The music subsides (the surf retreats back along the sand) and the listener is left knowing that it doesn’t get much more real and open than that. Take a deep breath and go on … just as a young Pete Pidgeon did all those years ago. - Jambands.com

On the Record: Pete Pidgeon's Music A Multi-Layered Sound
by John W. Barry
Published May 16, 2003

Last call has passed and the party is moving from the dance floor to the sidewalk.

The morning sun pours down Main Street in New Paltz like dreams down a drain and Pete Pidgeon finds himself alone on an empty stage at Snug Harbor, a downtown bar where countless broken-hearted poets and musicians have cried in their beers before accidentally spilling them on the floor.

As the band breaks down, Pidgeon begins to sing in a voice that captures the gritty side of Trey Anastasio and the earnestness of Dave Matthews. He launches into a song about girls, two-timing best friends and moonlit nights when the only bright side of life comes beaming in from outer space.

Welcome to perhaps the best song on ''...At First Sight,'' the new CD from Pete Pidgeon and Arcoda. ''When the Devils Come to Take My Angels Away'' takes the listener on a stilt-walking expedition through chord progressions that conjure the Grateful Dead's ''Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo'' and lyrics that straddle the line between college innocence and adult callousness.

Feels like you're there
Pidgeon and his band have created a CD that tugs on your heart while massaging your ears. Some of the songs are much better than others, but the collection overall is a keeper.

The ensemble manages to maintain the feeling of a live gig, where an enraptured crowd of close friends would remain quiet and polite during the softer, jazzy tunes but let loose with excitement during the rockers by hurling raw emotion and empty beer cups at the stage.

Draw your own conclusions tonight when Pete Pidgeon and Arcoda plays The Loft in Poughkeepsie, which is part of The Chance entertainment complex on Crannell Street. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. for the show, which also includes Five Minute Riot and Still Casting Shadows on the bill.

Pidgeon and his bandmates are based in Boston but maintain strong links to the Hudson Valley. Pidgeon was a jazz major at the State University of New York at New Paltz and graduated in 2000. Bass player Seth Rivers graduated from Poughkeepsie High School and is attending the legendary Berklee School of Music in Boston. Completing the band's lineup is Randy Wooten on drums and Adam Beamer on keyboards.

Pidgeon's musical interests range from jazz to classical to Phish, a band he has traveled hundreds of miles to see more than a hundred times. But the songs on ''... At First Sight'' recall Queen, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, the jam band Percy Hill, straight-ahead jazz and down home bluegrass.

And Woodstock musical legend Levon Helm, former drummer for The Band, plays drums and mandolins on several tunes.

'' ... If I'm going at a certain style of music, [I'm] going fully in that direction rather than compiling a bunch of different styles and bundling them down to one style, which I see a lot in the jam band scene,'' Pidgeon said. ''It always ends up sounding like the same band.''

John W. Barry is the music writer for the Poughkeepsie Journal. Call him at call (845) 437-4822 or email him at jobarry@poughkee.gannett.com. Hear music from Pete Pidgeon and local artists at http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/entertainment/groove. - Poughkeepsie Journal

~Sixth Anniversary~
Pete Pidgeon and Arcoda
Friends, Funk and Crack Horns.
So where are all the groupies?
Harper's Ferry, Boston, MA

Despite the fact that it was Sunday night, people were out to see Pete’s new Duane Allman anti-goatee ‘stash in force. Pete Pidgeon and Arcoda played Boston’s Harpers Ferry to commemorate their sixth anniversary as a band with friends and family showing their respect for the band through the good times. The setlist featured a healthy repetorie of Arcoda classics, including lots of songs about making love—but who doesn’t like to make love? The brass backing from the Two Dolla Crack Horns capitalizes the progress the band has made over the last six years. Their simple presence commanded respect from the audience.

The hyper fusion jazz of Color and Talea opened the show. Caveman came on the stage next with their floating, story-telling jams. The loose rootsy, dream music was in stark contrast to Color and Talea’s hyper fusion jazz set and Arcoda’s melodic song-oriented set to come.

As the Caveman set concluded and Arcoda began to set up, a noticeable change occurred in the crowd. The sparse Sunday crowd suddenly swelled to a group you’d expect to see on a Thursday or Friday night. Doubling in size, the crowd took on new life. The previous two performances more closely resembled a recital you’d see at Berklee School of Music, where people stood around concentrating wholly on the music, saying nothing to their neighbors. Everyone held a stoic glance, quietly examining the new music in front of them.

When Arcoda took the stage however, people seemed to stream in out of nowhere as if there was a party in another room that had just been unleashed on the venue. Not only did the numbers pickup, there was suddenly a loud distinctive party noise echoing throughout. Whereas not many people were dancing before, by the time Pete Pidgeon took the first strum on his guitar, the dance floor was packed.

Pictured here, the Two Dollar Crack Horns consist of Sam Kininger on alto sax, Brian Thomas on trombone, and Chris "C Money" Welter on trumpet. Johnny Trauma, guitar, also joined the band several times throughout the evening.

Warming the crowd up nicely, the four core members of the band, Adam Beamer on keys, Ben Hoadley on bass, and Aaron Jackson on drums opened with "The Way." By the time the Two Dolla Crack Horns took the stage on "You’re My Girl" to kick it up a notch, the crowd was hoppin’. It turned from a listening party to a dancing party! Over the past six years, Arcoda’s lineup has seen many faces come and go. With Pete Pidgeon as the common denominator, the band has had impressive members pass through it, all contributing to today’s sound.

Perhaps the most influential addition to the band in recent years is Adam Beamer. Bringing continuity, complementary vocals and much of his own material. The band hasn’t been the same since.

While Arcoda breaches the jamband category, they retain their own niche with emphasis placed melodically in the song writing. They pull influence from jazz, jam, and 80s culture to produce an elegant energetic folk sound.

In their third year in Boston, the band stays busy touring around the Northeast and promoting their recent album, “...At First Sight.” While the album is a gentle collection of easy going folk rhythms, the shows are anything but mellow.

Freedom and love flow about the crowd of beautiful people that are latched to the driving inspiration of live music. Deep folk roots and elegant simplicity comes through every note Arcoda plays. Pete, we wish you the best for your next six years! Keep on rockin’!

Jon Heinrich - Meniscus Magazine

SPECIAL GUEST RECORDS WITH PETE PIDGEON

Sixty years down a long musical road, drummer Levon Helm stopped in to the studio with Pete Pidgeon & Arcoda on Tuesday, October 29, 2002. Levon laid down drum tracks on Pidgeon originals "When the Devils Take My Angels Away," "Pretty Women Don't Follow Me," and "But It Don't Worry Me," as well as an arrangement of the Bob Dylan tune "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You." Mr. Helm also contributed his beautiful mandolin playing to “But It Don’t Worry Me.” Full-time Arcoda members Pete Pidgeon on acoustic and electric guitars, Jeremy Gustin (normally on drums) on percussion, Adam Beamer on piano, and Seth Rivers on upright and electric basses filled out the lineup for the session.

Levon Helm began his career with The Hawks back in the 1950’s. From there he graduated to a position in the rhythm section for Bob Dylan’s first electric tour. This unit, minus Bob, then historically turned into The Band. The Band recorded for over 30 years and performed at America's largest concert at Watkins Glen. Currently, Levon is playing with his bands The Barn Burners and The Last Hombres and was recently inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.

This recent daylong session was the second in a series of studio dates for Arcoda who are working closely with producer Craig Welsch to complete their upcoming debut studio CD. Craig is one of the Boston area’s most respected producers having worked with bands John Brown's Body, The Slip, Addison Groove Project, and Soulive among many others. Arcoda’s full-length disc should be out in early 2003.

Other confirmed guest appearances on the album include Addison Groove Project saxophonist Ben Groppe, trombonist Brian Thomas of Pocket, trumpet player Dave Szebeda of Peter Prince & The Trauma Unit, baritone saxophonist Jared Sims of Miracle Orchestra, and percussionist Scooter from Nikulydin. For more information on Pete Pidgeon & Arcoda including tourdates, booking, news and e-mail list, please go to http://www.petepidgeon.com.

[Published on 10/30/02] - Jambase.com

Pete Pidgeon & Arcoda
...At First Sight
Fowl River Productions
http://www.petepidgeon.com/

I first heard of Pete Pidgeon a few years ago. I was sent a link to a few mp3's and I liked what I heard. I exchanged a few emails with Pete and then lost touch. A few months ago I saw a news item on jambands.com that announced Pete's album and I dropped him a line, hoping to get a promo copy of the album. The CD came on a lazy Saturday afternoon and I spent the next hour absorbing this great music.

The album, ...At First Sight, opens with a song that sets the tone for the rest of the album. With it's cool jazzy feel and distorted whispering vocals, "Left Wing Politics In A Vacuum" is a nice showcase for Pidgeon's jazz-influenced guitar playing. It's a subtle song, both musically and lyrically, suggesting in it's whispers that "in the end you will find / If relaxed you'll be fine / So sit back and recline and unwind." In some way or another, this relaxed feeling finds itself into nearly every song on the album. No matter how much colorful noise is being made, a laid back vibe can be found in almost everything.

The first instrumental, "Dang, Somebody Done Stolded My Wheels," is an aggressive groove-fest. Drummer Jeremy Gustin crashes about belligerently while bassist Seth Rivers pounds out a funky groove. Keyboardist Adam Beamer bangs out some catchy piano while Pidgeon rides on top of it all with his guitar. It's a short song, but fulfilling on a number of levels.

Levon Helm of The Band joins Pidgeon and crew on "But It Don't Worry Me" on drums and mandolin. It's a rootsy acoustic song about losing love and moving forward. A great drinking song, for sure. Helm's mandolin is sprinkled throughout and along with some acoustic slide work it feels so authentic. So often bands try to do a country or bluegrass tune, but it always sounds like a rock band doing country. "But It Don't Worry Me" sounds like the real thing.

Along the same lines is "When The Devils Come To Take My Angels Away, " a song that sounds like something The Band might have played back in their heyday. This song also features Levon Helm on the drumset as well as Paul Wolstencroft on organ. It's a relatively simple song, but it's catchy chorus and great lyrics give it a warm feeling.

Pidgeon does a very short and very pretty solo acoustic number called "Backup 40,000 lb. Love Ship" before the band glides into the very laid back ska-influenced "Come To Me." This song features Nate Albert (formerly of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones) on lead guitar. This song is one of the best examples of Pidgeon's excellent vocal ability. With the spacious instrumentation his voice is left more open to shine on its own. The horn arrangements perfectly complement the song and makes it one of the best songs on the album.

...At First Sight closes with "The Way" and it's companion, "The Way Out." The former is a fun song about love and has a chorus that makes you want to sing along. The latter is an expansion on the chorus of the previous song and it closes the album with smiles.

The best thing about Pete Pidgeon's songwriting is that it always sounds so genuine, regardless of the genre. The lyrics always fit the song perfectly and nothing ever feels out of place. He has a knack for digging into the soul of a song, finding its root, and then crafting the rest of the song around that base. In most cases the results could not be better.

- brooks williams - MoHeads.com