B-Side Guys

Bright horns herald Perfect Blue’s return to Chicago’s music scene with “Isabel,” marking the end of a four-year silence with a sonic palette that suggests the band’s COVID-induced hiatus has only expanded their musical horizons. Recorded at Abbey Cat Recordings, the track showcases not just the six-piece outfit’s core talents but an expanded ensemble featuring some of the city’s finest session musicians.

The decision to incorporate a full horn section demonstrates Perfect Blue’s willingness to push beyond their established sound. While the band has always been known for creating varied textures through their arsenal of synthesizers and guitar pedals, “Isabel” reveals new layers of orchestration that feel both ambitious and natural, suggesting their time away has been spent in careful consideration of their sonic evolution.

The production work, captured at Abbey Cat Recordings, provides each element of the expanded arrangement with room to breathe. The interplay between the band’s characteristic electronic elements and the organic warmth of the brass section creates a rich tapestry that honors both their experimental roots and their newfound appreciation for more classic pop structures.

Perfect Blue’s return single demonstrates how forced isolation can lead to creative growth. The band’s exploration of City Pop and Yacht Rock during their hiatus has clearly influenced their approach to arrangement and production, though these elements are integrated thoughtfully rather than becoming mere pastiche.

The choice to pair the single with a Linda Ronstadt cover as its B-side feels particularly appropriate, suggesting a band comfortable enough with their identity to openly embrace their influences while maintaining their distinctive voice. It’s a gesture that acknowledges both where they’ve been and where they’re heading.

Despite the addition of numerous collaborators, the track never feels overcrowded. Perfect Blue’s knack for creating “a mirage of textures” serves them well here, as they navigate the challenge of incorporating additional musicians while maintaining the core chemistry that made them stand out in Chicago’s music scene initially.

The song’s recording at Abbey Cat Recordings marks it as a distinctly Chicago product, though its sonic ambitions reach well beyond regional boundaries. The studio’s capability to capture both the intimacy of the band’s performance and the grandeur of the full arrangement speaks to why it was the right choice for Perfect Blue’s comeback single.

This return offering suggests Perfect Blue has used their time away wisely, absorbing new influences while refining their ability to craft captivating songs. Rather than simply picking up where they left off, they’ve chosen to push forward into new territory, bringing along an expanded musical family to help realize their evolved vision.

“Isabel” stands as both a welcome return and a promising new direction for Perfect Blue, suggesting that while the pandemic may have forced them into hiatus, it couldn’t diminish their creative spark. The single serves as evidence that sometimes stepping away can lead to stepping up, particularly when that time is spent reimagining what’s possible within your artistic framework.