Nothing comes from nothing, especially in music. Every song has its roots in something that came before it. That said, the magic of a great new track is found in how creatively interesting the artist tweaks an older formula and turns it into something fresh. Rock and roll may not have improved since Chuck Berry first started laying down licks (and even he owes a debt to Louis Jordan, Al Jolson, and many others, but it has evolved into many forms. In a perfect world, everyone from Taylor Swift to Insane Clown Posse should be paying Berry royalties.
Which brings the discussion to Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill’s debut release, Long After the Fire. The married couple have a long history in the business. Singer and guitarist Peterson was a founding member of the Bangles, whose many wonderful hits, such as “Eternal Flame”, “Walk Like an Egyptian”, and “Manic Monday” showcased the band’s ability to perform in different styles rooted in the music of the past. Cowsill was a singer and drummer for the family group the Cowsills, who had best-selling singles such as “The Rain, the Park, and Other Things”, “Indian Lake”, and “Hair” that have become staples of 1960s radio.
Separately, the two have been active in music, playing in different bands, including the Beach Boys and the Go-Gos. The duo even recorded with Billy Mumy (of The Munsters TV show) as Action Skulls. Their new debut release (with Dave Pearlman on pedal steel guitar and Jimmy Claire on keyboards) reveals their talents as performers. They didn’t write the songs John’s late brothers, Barry and Bill Cowsill, composed.
The 12 cuts were clearly derived from other artists’ country, rock, and pop hits. While it’s fun to match up the tracks with their source inspirations (“Fool Is the Last One to Know” = Merle Haggard‘s “Working Man’s Blues” and “Mama Tried”, “But Come to Me” = Gram Parsons‘ “Hot Burrito #1”) and styles, the game has its limitations. The Cowsill brothers’ songwriting talents suggest they were more interested in repackaging successful material than creating something new.
Now that could be said about almost every song. Nothing comes from nothing, but this is too evident here. Not enough attention has been paid to make the music distinctive. One could presume this was intentional as a way of paying homage to the past. Isn’t that what the Bangles were doing by highlighting their girl group roots and the Cowsills’ emulation of family acts such as the Beach Boys and the Everly Brothers? But that was then, this is now.
Long After the Fire offers a nostalgic look at music from previous eras through music written in the past without comment. The music is not meta, cynical, or ironic, and that’s a plus. When Peterson sings the line “There’s a lot of work ahead for me tomorrow” to end the record, one wishes she would continue. The dozen cuts seem more of a warmup than a finished product. The best songs, such as the sprightly “Don’t Look Back” and the old-fashioned ballad “Is Anybody Here”, are the simplest compositions. These cuts allow Peterson and Cowsill to emote. The songs seem secondary to the feelings expressed.
Peterson and Cowsill are experienced and gifted enough to turn unremarkable material into pleasant listening. The fire alluded to in the album’s title may be quenched, but its embers still survive and burn.