Search - Pearls & Brass :: Pearls & Brass

Thick & Twisty Blues-Based Heavy Riffage

317 East 32nd | Toledo, OH USA | 08/12/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Excellent band; well-produced, retro-accurate recording (originally released in 2003). Pearls & Brass, a trio from Nazareth, PA, are a bit difficult to describe. The riff is the key element with these guys. But they write riffs the way Lennie Tristano or Lee Konitz improvise lines: long, complex, convoluted, and rhythmically surprising, yet still containing plenty of feeling. The music is comparable to (but not necessarily derived from) Sabbath, old GFR, Mountain, and the more deliberately out-there work of Gary Moore's old band, Skid Row. Overall the emphasis is on early-'70s-style heaviness and the blues-rock aspect. That's where the Sabbath comparisons originate, but the riffs and melodies on this disc are more mathematically challenging than any of Sabbath's output. Vocals are strong and gritty. Guitar tones, as well as the drums and bass, are all well-recorded, and I wouldn't change a thing about the mix.



I've seen Pearls & Brass perform three times, and live they are extremely loud, accurate and powerful. The musicianship, however, is not distractingly precise; yes, they are jaw-droppingly tight, and very heavy, but there's still an earthy, bluesy unpretentiousness when compared to obsessive "metal" bands. This debut CD is a slightly toned-down version of their energetic live assault.



Pearls recently inked a deal with Drag City for their next CD. The new tunes slated for that release are equally mind-blowing, but for any fan of heavy music and blues-based rock, this debut is an essential CD that's been flying under the radar for too long already! Highly recommended."