Album Review: Pale Blue Dot — Anatomy
From a music standpoint, Charlottesville, Virginia is perhaps best known for the jam-band hero Dave Matthews (who’s South African, but is associated with the city). Appalachian music plays a part in the city’s scene as well. So Pale Blue Dot is something of an anomaly. Hard-driving melodic rock and concise songwriting are the hallmarks of the group. Soaring tunes are the specialty of leader Tony LaRocco, and on Anatomy, the band’s debut full length (there was an EP in 2016, reviewed here), he delivers.
“I Know” sounds like a single in the vein of vaguely alternative ‘90s rock. “Only Love” sounds like a cross between The Cure’s “In Between Days” and John Mellencamp, if you can imagine such a thing. Oddly, it works. Anatomy is a varied set of songs, unified around a rock aesthetic. LaRocca’s raspy yet supple vocals are the mortar that holds the bricks (songs) together as a cohesive album.
The instrumentation is taut and expressive, but for the most part the musicians – LaRocca on guitar plus Peter Balogh on guitar, bassist Drew Pompano and drummer Darby Wooten – never call attention to themselves, instead letting the songs be the focus. Story-songs like “The Harlot and the Gambler” take awhile to unfold, but that simmering slow burn approach is an effective technique. “Lo and Behold” subtly makes use of mandolin and pedal steel; it’s slightly out-of-place on this album, but in the end the song’s quality — and one of LaRocca’s strongest vocal turns — justifies its inclusion. (A brief unlisted, unnamed one-chord instrumental coda closes the album.)
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.