Patrick Gubler at least deserves credit for doing the whole American-indie-version-of-British-folk thing before the latest gaggle of acoustic-instrument-wielding hipsters had donned woolen scarves and listened to their first Pentangle albums. In the mid-’90s, he helped found Tower Recordings, whose output ranged from hissy, lo-fi rock to droney ragas. Since 2001, Gubler has been recording as P.G. Six, which serves as a vehicle for him to demonstrate his love for the bucolic sounds of Ol’ Blighty.
Slightly Sorry, Gubler’s fourth record under that moniker, is certainly indebted to the folk minstrels of Albion — witness his drowsy but tuneful rendition of the traditional ballad “Lily of the Valley.” However, Gubler also finds inspiration in some late-’60s/early-’70s Canadian rockers: Neil Young’s downer vibe and chord progression on “The Dance” and Garth Hudson’s keyboard style and multi-instrument virtuosity on practically every track (an incomplete list includes guitars, Wurlitzer electric piano, Hammond B3, Mellotron, and the hurdy-gurdy). Local music fans will have their own fun trying to discern the dulcet vocals of former Memphian Megan Reilly amid a quartet of female background singers on several songs (“I’ve Been Traveling,” “Bless These Blues”). — David Dunlap Jr.
Grade: B+