"This is what popular music should be about" - Classic Rock Magazine
"These Maltesers are an appetizing prospect indeed" - The Fly Magazine
"Driven by classy melodies, aching human emotion and considerable musicianship" - Acoustic Magazine
Chasing Pandora's Melissa Portelli describes the duo as 'something between the world you know and the world you're about to discover', and hailing from the tiny Maltese island of Gozo they are certainly a little exotic! According to guitarist Keith Anthony, Gozo itself doesn't have a clearly defined music scene, and the traces of pop, emo and particularly techno it does have don't share much common ground with Chasing Pandora's ambient acoustic sound.
Their unusual name comes from the ancient Greek myth of Pandora, who opened a box which contained all the worlds mischief, so that the only thing left in the box was hope. Melissa explains that they mean the name to suggest chasing hope itself, which for a band from such a tiny place, chasing wider fame, has real resonance. Whilst Chasing Pandora's recorded music ornaments the acoustic guitar with many other instruments, their live shows are much more stripped back. Keith and Melissa work alone onstage, with only a loop pedal to supplement the guitar sound, which is a bold move for a band with such pop sensibilities. Whilst the duo namecheck Tori Amos, Leonard Cohen and Ray LaMontagne as influences, there is little of those artists evident in their very original songwriting. You can detect the darkness of Cohen or Amos, but the melodies are all their own, the sound not easily supporting comparison with other artists.
Melissa explains that her lyrics are influenced by poetry, the environments in which she finds herself, and many other factors, but more than anything by her own personal journey. Portelli lost a brother in a brutal murder when he was 27, an event which sent her into a downward spiral. Feeling powerless to express herself or deal with the world effectively, Portelli found in songwriting the outlet she needed to connect once more with the world, and at the same time was introduced to guitarist Keith. This profound emotional experience clearly still informs her writing, and traces of darkness and sadness, as well as hope and redemption, are evident in Chasing Pandora's material.
The band are well supported in Gozo and the rest of Malta, despite being somewhat apart from the wider music scene, and are now in the process of broadening their horizons. By the time this is published their first UK tour (a whistle stop affair taking in some of the best acoustic venues in London) will be complete, but it shouldn't be long before the duo return to a country they see as fertile ground, 'We look for really intimate venues" says Keith "A listening audience is very important for our music, so finding places to play where the public really come to pay attention is important."
Chasing Pandora operate on the principle that simple is better, and less is always more, so the purists among us can expect a treat from their live shows. They truly are something a little exotic and different, and if you like a little pop in your music, look no further.
Sam Wise.
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