For their second Reprise Records outing,
Pearls Before Swine worked primarily with Nashville-based musicians, including a small orchestra who provide a stately feel to the highly intimate nature of the material. According to
Tom Rapp, the songs were written while he and his wife were living in the Netherlands, which
Rapp said contributed significantly to the air of romanticism throughout. "The Jeweller" opens the album with an exquisite tale that exemplifies
Rapp's remarkable abilities to draw upon disparate metaphors such as shining coins and worshiping God, both involving the
The Use of Ashes -- hence the title. The rural mood created by the notable Music City USA stalwarts effortlessly fuses with David Briggs' baroque-flavored harpsichord on the delicate "From the Movie of the Same Name," featuring
Rapp and spouse
Elisabeth on non-verbal vocalizations as they "da-da-da" the melody. Although "Rocket Man" predates the
Elton John cut by a couple of years,
Bernie Taupin cites it as his inspiration for the lyrics behind
John's 1972 Top Ten hit. The words are credited as having been influenced by a Ray Bradbury novella that dealt with the universal emotion of loss. Again, Briggs' keyboard runs relate the story with subdued refinement. By contrast, "God Save the Child" is one of the more amplified inclusions, making good use of session heavies Kenneth A. Buttrey (drums) and
Charlie McCoy (guitar), especially when placed against the restrained string section. Another sonic texture in the tapestry is the jazzy "Tell Me Why," shimmering with an uncredited vibraphone lead gliding beneath
Rapp's whimsical lines. These tracks are offset by the noir "When the War Began," the ethereal love song "Margery," and the mid-tempo retelling of the "Riegal," a ship whose 4,000 inhabitants perished during World War II.
Rapp's juxtaposition of stark imagery reveals that while
Pearls Before Swine might not have continued the bombastic direction set about on their earlier protest works "Uncle John" or "Drop Out," they maintained social and political relevance. ~ Lindsay Planer