Easy listening gets a bad rap. Thanks to the Muzak-ing of tunes for the elevator, and the saccharine flavor of designed-to-make-money mainstream pop, easy sounds seem too easy. But we all want music that is easy to listen to, and as Photo Ops on Pure At Heart, Terry Price makes music that is very easy to listen to.
Brightness & smoothness pervade Pure, from relaxed opener “Take the Long Way” to nice finish “Live With Yourself”. Yet the album doesn’t feel thin, with the uplift of songs like “Play On” and “July” earned. There are times when it’s all too high and sweet, and the songs tend to run together, but that just makes a nice whole.
Not every record needs to be a genre-defining reinvention, ‘rewards on further listens’ that hipsters swear be considered an influential masterpiece in the future. In fact, most records shouldn’t be. Instead, just enjoy the easy listening of Photo Ops.
