Pearl and the Beard
CSPS Hall (Legion Arts) — Sunday, March 16 at 7 p.m. ($12-15)
I don’t often write about folk bands, but Brooklyn-based Pearl and the Beard stand out from the rest of the folk-pop fold in a couple of different ways.
The first is that they are not relentlessly cheery or obsessed with being cute and old-timey. While they do have their share of cute acoustic songs, just as many of their songs are dark and unsettling. The trio of Jocelyn Mackenzie, Emily Hope Price and Jeremy Styles use guitar, drums, keyboards and percussion to create a bit of modern menace in the otherwise bubbly world of folk-pop.
Pearl and the Beard also stands apart for their lovely harmonies. While some new folk-pop bands sound like they are straining to be in sync, Pearl and the Beard’s harmonies are lush and beautiful, a true testament to their singing skills. I’m even more impressed by how the harmonies come to them so naturally: It makes it feel like they have been singing together for more than six years and should make for a pleasant show when they visit Cedar Rapids.
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