Pennan Brae’s Studio is an album consisting of seven songs, its style being based on the rock and roll music of the 1970s and 1980s, the individual tracks all helping to create a collection that goes smoothly from start to finish. The first song, “Scratch”, sets the album into motion by drawing on quirky alternative rock in the manner of David Bowie and thus marks one of the album’s special features; the odd guitar work and rhythms give the song a personality which establishes the tone for the rest of the album, and at the same time the overall structure leaves scope for the album to evolve over its seven songs.
“Deja Vu” enters a new phase in the classic rock style by combining the Hammond organ with a sharp guitar riff; both “Deja Vu” and “Hig & Jig” show a Rolling Stones influence and thus have a common link on the album. The use of the 1960s Hammond organ, which was recorded through a vintage Leslie Cabinet Speaker, forms a key part of the record’s sound, and the Fender Mustang guitar provides another distinctive feature. Steve Ferrone plays drums on six of the seven tracks.
The instrumentation gives Studio a definite identity at the same time as permitting each of the individual songs to keep their own individuality. Alison Jenkins is responsible for the harmonies in the entire collection, and Kaj Falch-Nielsen plays bass while Cameron Wilson adds violin to some of the tracks. The use of organ, guitar, bass, drums, harmonies and strings helps to achieve the classic rock style without straying from the album’s emphasis on distinct song arrangements. Moreover, the recording process made use of the physical sound of the Hammond organ through the old Leslie speaker.
The final track, “It Ain’t Perfect But It’s Free” (Dance Mix), alters the tempo by adopting an 80s pop-influenced dance style. Although it was first released as a funk rock version on Paint, the song has a different character in this version and represents one of the album’s most noticeable changes in style. In conjunction with “Scratch”, it makes up a pair of contrasting bookends, the opening track introducing the album’s quirky alternative rock aspect and the closing mix bringing in an 80s pop influence. Thus, the Studio edition offers a continuous seven-song journey through the rock influences that Brae has selected.
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