Pearlfishers SKY MEADOWS BY ROB O’CONNOR

Glasgow’s Pearlfishers — in essence singer-songwriter David Scott and whoever’s still talking with him this week — produce a modestly orchestrated brand of pop that takes its cues from Love’s Forever Changes, the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, and the romantic piano compositions of Burt Bacharach and Eric Carmen. The results would have made perfect sense blaring out of an AM radio back when the Association were cherishing their love and later when Bread started reading diaries underneath the trees.

"My Dad the Weatherfan" has a hook that’s familiar enough to slip onto a Time-Life collection undetected as a modern fake. And the overt gentleness of Scott’s gorgeous string arrangements and nostalgic horn parts seems aimed directly at garnering cult status among musos who approach collecting old 45s as if it were an archæological dig. Despite its dated reference points, Sky Meadows (which comes out this Tuesday) is a sly piece of craftsmanship with highlights that include the loser’s rumination "I Can’t Believe You Met Nancy" and "The Gay Fishmonger," which tilts a queer Ray Davies eye at the straight guy.