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Reviews

Pymlico — Core
(Apollon Records AP, 2025, CD / LP / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2025-12-25

Core Cover art

Pymlico has always had multiple aspects to their sound, contrasting melodic sections that are alarmingly close to Smooth Jazz with harder-hitting sections that draw from progressive rock and post-rock. Core continues that trend, and I often find that just when I’m starting to think of Kenny G and being stuck on an infinite elevator ride, they’ll hit me with something more like Camel and I’m back on board. I know that Smooth Jazz has millions of fans around the world — or at least millions of people who tolerate its existence — but I am decidedly not one of them, so Pymlico is occasionally a little frustrating. On the other hand, there’s “Captain Teebs,” which is one of my favorite tracks from this album. It’s a rollicking slab of fun that might be one of the band’s all-time best tunes. That track (along with “Fair Play” and “Don’t Do That”) rescues Core for me. The sappy, or borderline sappy, aspects of the music seem to be a central influence for the band, so I don’t suppose they’ll ever go away entirely, but it’s the other side of Pymlico that stands out for me. Still, the group has lots to recommend it, and can’t be dismissed for their few unsavory tendencies.

Filed under: New releases, 2025 releases

Related artist(s): Pymlico, Arild Brøter

More info
http://pymlicomusic.bandcamp.com/album/core

 

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