Irresistible hooks and cunning arrangements abound on Peaceful Faces’ new record led by singer-songwriter Tree Palmedo.
Take the low-key eloquence of Elliott Smith and the pop smarts of Paul McCartney, and you’re in the general neighborhood of Peaceful Faces. Led by singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Tree Palmedo, the band defy easy categorization, but those two artists are dependable comparisons when attempting to wrap arms around the winning, deeply enjoyable songs Peaceful Faces have been releasing on the albums Letters from Late Adolescence (2020), Sifting Through the Goo, Reaching for the Candlelight (2023), and their brand new one, Without a Single Fight. These earworms demand loud volume and numerous replays, but also deeply personal introspection – a testament to Palmedo’s compositional skills, as well as the musicians who play alongside him.
For an album with plenty of light and shade, Without a Single Fight comes out swinging with the opening track and lead single, “Freee”, a magnificent blast of riffs, hooks, and horns, bringing to mind the infectious energy of Daniel Romano, as Palmedo’s warm vocals provide just the right counterpoint. “I never thought you’d be the one / To show me how the fire begun,” the lyrics begin, accompanied by a roar of unstoppable melody. “A surly game, a stupid joke/ And then you step outside for a smoke.”
However, gears shift swiftly with the uncommonly gorgeous “Half a Secret”, as fingerpicked acoustic guitar blends with Daniel Pencer’s flute and clarinet, all chamber-pop perfection and sophisticated melodies. While Palmedo plays a great deal of the instruments on the record – acoustic guitar, piano, synth, chord organ, trumpet, flugelhorn and percussion – John Cushing (trombone), Alden Harris-McCoy and Alex Graff (guitar), Tony Solis (bass) and Eli Cohen (drums) form a core band, with a few additional musicians on selected tracks. The group are particularly well-suited to add the right textures to Palmedo’s compositions and arrangements.
Without A Single Fight by Peaceful Faces
There are numerous playful pop gestures on Without a Single Fight that evoke classic tunes and melodies from the past. The bouncy, wistful “Doin’ It Wrong” is reminiscent of the kind of stuff McCartney used to crank out with surprising regularity with Wings, and “Feel Around in My Heart” takes advantage of layers of acoustic and electric guitars, as well as Palmedo’s frequent (and welcome) falsetto to lay out a solid power-pop crunch.
However, the gentle balladry and chamber folk that weaves in and out of this album is never far away, as “The Danger” begins life as an acoustic-based folk gem that suddenly twists into a muted horn fanfare before returning to Nick Drake territory. The record is nothing if not multifaceted, but the genre shifts always seem natural and inventive and never the work of someone bouncing around solely to check off boxes. The eclectic nature of this brilliant record is always perfectly natural.
Without a Single Fight closes with the tender, emotionally direct “She’s Getting Married”, as Palmedo channels Harry Nilsson with piano, orchestral swells, and melodies that seem to recall a vintage 1970s singer/songwriter era. “Carry on, the work is better,” Palmedo sings tenderly. “Carry on, the work is all you’ll ever treasure.”
By bringing to mind artists old and new – at times, the album sounds like Will Stratton on a symphonic bender – Tree Palmedo and the musicians that make up Peaceful Faces have knocked one out of the park on Without a Single Fight, an album that not only demands multiple replays, but will have you clamoring for everything this fantastic band has released.