Essex based Alt. folk artist Kevin Pearce returns with his new album So On.
Building on the success of his previous LP Dynamite, So On represents a movement towards an increasingly layered and diverse sound, somewhere between the smoky soul of Marvin Gaye and the virtuosic storytelling of Leonard Cohen. Kevin Pearce is an artist capable of evoking a poignant nostalgia alongside a newfound synthesis of electronic and acoustic music with raw vocals that keep his sound both honest and current.
As well as representing a significant progression in Pearce's musical development, So On also covers extraordinary thematic ground. The album touches on the housing crisis ('Lucifer the Landlord'), brutalising social expectations ('17th Century Girl'), mental health ('Brain Desert' and 'The Damned One') and asking for help ('So On'). They are all united by a keen desire to reach out a hand, a plea for connection and support.
So On reaches the apotheosis of this impulse in the richly atmospheric 'Maria, Come Home', dedicated to the late Soprano Maria Callas: "[she] was obviously this incredible talent and an amazing performer," says Pearce, "yet underneath there was this turbulent, troubled life." 'Maria Come Home' sits perfectly in an album aiming to unite a sense of the personal and emotional, and offer some comfort in troubled times. This thematic depth coupled with a growing experimentation with both traditional songwriting and electronic experimentation suggests an unconventional artist unwilling to countenance limitation.
Having supported the likes of Beth Orton, Saul Williams and Turin Brakes previously, as well as playing a host of solo shows, Pearce has already cultivated a loyal and active fanbase.
