Pearl and the Beard is three voices, one cello, one guitar, one glockenspiel, one melodica, several drums, one accordion, ninety-six teeth, and one soul.
Former strangers Jocelyn Mackenzie, Emily Hope Price, and Jeremy Styles were united in the great city of New York. Each had migrated there from a far corner of the nation with naught but food in their pockets and money in their bellies. Each had the same true love. Since then, the three have nested, and their unique brand of brightly melodic songcraft continues to blossom of its own accord.
Pearl and the Beard loves you the way you’ve always been.
while listening to their latest release, killing the darlings, i was struck by how they have such an eclectic sound. the vocal duties are shared and blended, the melodies like a roller coaster. some of their songs are such stomp/clap happy tunes that are filled with bluesy-soul. some are straight-up folk. then others are so sweet and delicate that they sound like they belong in the soundtrack of a fairy tale. and, i think, it's because of this jarring dichotomy that their music becomes inherently likable.
some highlights off of killing the darlings:
* prodigal daughter - this song absolutely enchants. it starts out sweet, with tinkly fairy sounds and then transitions into choral vocals. such a perfect example of why i love folk music: oh lovely daughter i've mistaken for a son/rest your head upon my shoulder at once/tell me all the world you found troublesome/you're my particles and sweet electrons/since you've been home
* douglas douglass - sounds like it ought to have been in oh brother, where art thou? plus, it's a stomp/clap song, and i like me the stomp/claps. douglas, douglas/sticky bun/i've a wife and that's just fun/gimme, gimme what i need/you know i gotsa plant your seed
* swimming - another sweet song with a toy piano and the perfect amount of bass thanks to a cello. for some reason, it makes me want to go make daisy chains and be surrounded by butterflies in the french countryside. swoon! you know they say/they always say/that things will get better/if you believe in love/believe in hope/believe in the way you feel/but my trouble is/my troubles are dreams
* 40K - another incredibly gorgeous song. melancholy in just the perfect way only sad songs can make lovely, 40K has some of the most fabulous harmonious blending that will leave you marveling over how three different voices can sound made for one another. you never come when you say you will/and i overstay my welcome/sitting in this window sill/not letting the spiders build
* and finally, here's sweetness, the lead single off the album. it's sure to get your foot tapping:
sweetness, you got a top in your heart
sweetness, you got a top in your heart
i said, i said, i'm stumbling home
i said, i said, i'm stumbling home
i said, i said, i'm stumbling home
sweetness, you got a church and steeple
sweetness, and i'm drinking your wine
you got me singing, singing a choir
you got me singing, singing a choir
you got me singing, singing a choir
you got me singing, singing your choir
'cause i'm drunk, i'm drunk in your love
i'm drunk, i'm drunk on your love
i'm drunk, i'm drunk on your love
i'm drunk, i'm drunk on your love
sweetness, we see the exact same sunrise
sweetness, we see the exact same sunrise
i'm different sides, yeah, sides of the morn
on different sides, yeah, sides of the morn
on different sides, yeah, sides of the morn
on different sides, yeah, sides of the morn
'cause i'm drunk, i'm drunk in your love
i'm drunk, i'm drunk on your love
i'm drunk, i'm drunk on your love
i'm drunk, i'm drunk on your love
sweetness, sweetness
sweetness, sweetness
(mp3) sweetness by pearl and the beard
this isn't on their album, but the following video delights me beyond description. here, pearl and the beard are doing a will smith medley. if you can resist its charms...well, i don't know what to say. live a little?
buy killing the darlings HERE.
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