#mike mcmantis

[pupuplatters]

JOEY PULLIN AND THE MISSILES :: Give Me Tonight ~ 6.4

Star Travel | ST-100

Mr. Pullin really goes for smash hit glory on the title track of Give Me Tonight, kicking this EP off in style. After a tight instrumental opening featuring a melodic octave guitar line, the song goes directly into the dangerously addictive chorus. It's a cool little trick providing maximum impact and instant musical gratification for the hook-starved listener. The song plays out like a classic, fun-loving single by Eddie Money that you'd crank up on the car radio in the early '80s. Also noteworthy are the call-and-response female backing vocals and the feel-good upward key change near the ending. The song really checks all the boxes for pop pleasure. Pullin is fond of background vocals that provide a kind of conversation with the lead vocal in his songs. This technique is used to great effect on selections such as "Sweet City Nights." It's a bit of a genre exercise with its steel drum and trumpet solo adding exotic flavors. The song’s charms overwhelm any lack of authenticity. The EP contains decent stylistic variety. "Tell Me Janey" is driven by metal riffs played at a breakneck pace, and Pullin's wild vocals hint at a Mark Farner influence (the EP was recorded not too far from GFR’s hometown of Flint, Michigan). This track is followed by a tender 6/8 ballad titled "I Can't Live With You," a nice showcase for Pullin's vocal chops in a slow setting, although it's not quite the epic that the duration listed on the sleeve suggests (6:45 on the back cover, around 5:00 in reality). Give Me Tonight stalls near the end, indicating that Pullin didn't have the goods for a full-length recording. On the other hand, a single (with the title track on the A-side) may have felt like too little, so the length of this recording seems appropriate. Give Me Tonight wasn't going to set the world on fire - lack of lyrical distinction is a weak point - but the blend of independent spirit and professional production is interesting, and Pullin's blank stare and rocker poses are worth examining.

March 8, 2021