Album Reviews

Despite being only 23 years old, Pearl Charles has already already spent time as half of The Driftwood Singers, played drums in The Blank Tapes and has collaborated with Jonathan Wilson, Stephen McBean, Jonathan Rice and I’m sure I’m forgetting someone here. In short, she has the kind of résumé that one usually expects from someone who still remembers the sixties like it was yesterday. Which just so happens to be the period Pearl draws her influences from.

The six tunes that make up her self-titled EP shine bright with shimmering guitars that like to flirt with some Southern twang after consuming several glasses of wine. Meanwhile harmonic backup woos and a subtle organ are watching the proceedings from the corner of the room. And then there’s Pearl’s voice, which made me think of Zooey Deschanel at her most seductive.

Granted, usually we go nuts over voices that are a little more on the gruff side of things. But holy crap… these songs are so nice and breezy, they would simply float by if they weren’t damn good.