Pearls

f Twin Peaks' Bobby Briggs and James Hurley put aside all of their differences and started a band (inspired by the love, loss, and life of Laura), they'd sound exactly like broody three-piece Pearls. Since getting together in 2011, the '70s-inspired Australian band—comprised of Cassandra Kiely, Ryan Caesar, and Ellice Blakeney—has quietly been reviving glam rock, infusing it with hazy synth pop elements and breathy bedroom vocals. Their upcoming LP (streaming below), Pretend You're Mine, is both completely fresh and familiar (it's ripe with allusions to Blondie, The Kinks, Ariel Pink, and, yes, the Twin Peaks score). Basically, it's the music that soundtracks your wildest nightmares and walking daydreams. - Nylon

After releasing SPIN Singles Mix entry “Big Shot,” glam-rock trio Pearls return with an assertive new single titled “Pretend You’re Mine,” the title track to their forthcoming LP. Marching in with a “Call Me”-worthy stomp, the Victoria, Australia three-piece layer fuzzy, echoey vocals over stomping percusion and disco-era synths. The lyrics themselves are at times too washed out to hear, but that’s hardly a problem — it’s the Marnie Stern-meets-A Place to Bury Strangers guitar textures within “Pretend You’re Mine” that make the fuzzed-out song wonderfully engaging. Pretend you’re theirs below, and look out for the aforementioned LP when it drops on February 20 via Remote Control/Dot Dash Records. - Spin

After releasing their first EP in 2012, the Melbourne based trio, Pearls, are finally ready to share their much awaited first album, ‘Pretend You’re Mine’. Being released on the 20th of February, this record introduces fans to 9 new tracks, with a sound that ranges from glam-rock, to electronic-indie, giving the audience a lot to appreciate about this band.

The first single of this album, Big Shot, begins with an even paced beat, that does nothing but draw the audience into this glam-rock inspired tune. As a band, Pearls have the unique ability to bring the glam-rock sound into a more modern era, utilising their angelic vocal abilites Pearls are able to create a sound which not only sounds delicate, but also flows with power and strength, creating a perfect beginning for their album.

The album in it’s entirety displays a fresh and light feel, with songs such as Albion and Pretend You’re Mine, showcasing Pearls’ more pop orientated sound. Within these songs, however, the fast beat is countered by the melancholoy choice of lyrics, creating a unique rift between the meaning of the song and the sound of the song. Characteristics like this are what Pearls excel at, and they’re why this record is so enjoyable to listen to and emerce yourself in, each song creates an atmosphere of it’s own which the audience is able to get lost in. Pearls’ use of heavy organs in their song, Better Off Alone, make it one to really watch out for on the record. The organs give the song an extremely dramatic feel, which as the song continues becomes eerie due to the masculine and the feminine back and forth that appears within the vocals of the song and amongst the harmonies.

As a whole, ‘Pretend You’re Mine’ is an album which displays Pearls’ talents thoroughly, their use of pairing electric drum beats, with raw guitar rifts is an art in itself. This alternative, indie, electronic sound may not be for everyone, but song after song, Pearls become more impressive, and their unique sound is what will keep their audience captivated. - Cargo Art

With the release of lead single Big Shot late last year, Melbourne trio Pearls provided a perfect little alt-pop gem to introduce their forthcoming debut long-player, teasing listeners by slotting sassily into summer radio playlists.

With a thick, dark groove carved from Cassandra Kiely’s keys, drummer Ellice Blakeney’s vocal slinks in and out of guitarist Ryan Caesar’s calls with the magnetism of Debbie Harry. Instrumentally it’s a basic cut – carefully placed fuzzed-out riffs and fat, unhurried percussion fill the mix – but it delivers a confident, dirty charm. The title track and second single bookends the record with a similarly stomping groove as Caesar channels a Rock On era David Essex to lead into the payoff, an echoing, yearning chorus refrain. There’s certainly some ‘70s glam rock influence at play here (a quick glance at the cover art alone will confirm this), though album tracks, including Me And My Girl and Part Timer, take a much cleaner pop-rock approach. And Straight Through The Heart changes tack again, spiralling into late-at-night desire via affecting though fleeting melodic touches and just the right percussive moves from Blakeney.

Most importantly, the shared vocal approach of the three members serves the needs of each track across Pretend You’re Mine rather than being an exercise in diplomacy that can often leave a listener cold. Their interplay and the group dynamic as a whole are intriguing and magnetic, and a lustful undercurrent leaves one with an insatiable need for repeat spins. - SPA