More Info
Winners of the very frst Mojo Hero Award, the band have been a massive
success & a huge infuence on artists as diverse as David Bowie, The Ramones,
Bob Dylan, The Sex Pistols, The White Stripes & many more. With a stripped back
& simplifed line up, 'Balboa Island' was completed in 2007 by a core unit of four--
Phil May, Dick Taylor, Frank Holland & Mark St. John-- at Mark's Cote Basque
studio using vintage analogue equipment. Most of the songs were rooted in the
blues, the fnal arrangements hashed out on the studio foor then tracked live with
Dick playing bass & Frank handling most of the guitar parts. This organic, back to-basics approach worked especially well on the deep, expansive numbers.
Outside of its dark, bluesy core, though, the album diverged into other territory.
'Balboa Island' is in many ways a coming- of age album for the Pretty Things,
acknowledging their roots & recognizing their past discretions while moving into
the future with a newfound sense of dignity. "It's almost a wounded piece rather
than a proud piece," Phil confessed at the time. "I think this is a very honest
album.
Tracklist
The Beat Goes On ( 04:10 ) / Buried Alive ( 03:35 ) / Livin' In My Skin
( 03:59 ) / ( Blues For ) Robert Johnson ( 08:00 ) / All Light Up ( 04:30 ) / Pretty
Beat ( 02:52 ) / Mimi ( 02:34 ) / The Ballad Of Hollis Brown ( 06:28 ) / Feel Like
Goin' Home ( 02:43 ) / In The Beginning ( 04:42 ) / Dearly Beloved ( 04:59 ) /
Freedom Song ( 04:46 ) / Balboa Island ( 04:42 )