Blues Blast Magazine – Review

Pearls are some of nature’s most fascinating gemstones. Have you ever seen a black one? It’s neither as dark nor as hard as onyx or obsidian. Many come with a light green or greyish tinge, and many come from Tahiti. The unique band Black Pearl hails from London, though lead vocalist/guitarist Marcus Malone is originally from Michigan. At their core lies the grit of the blues, embellished and protected by layers of Clapton-style funk, Lynyrd Skynyrd-style rock, and a slight shimmer of 21st-century techno on top. Pry open the CD case and you’ll find their debut collection: eleven original songs built upon the grains of sand life has offered them.

Truth be told, such a delicate band name and title conceal the true nature of these tunes: loud, proud and shredder-endowed. My new headphones don’t have a volume control. I had to turn my Windows Media Player setting to near-minimum so my tympanic membranes would stay intact!

Black Pearl is a brand-new contemporary rock-blues project featuring London-based Detroit vocalist/guitarist Marcus Malone, former Wishbone Ash guitarist and arranger Muddy Manninen, and songwriter Pete Feenstra.

Originally conceived as a possible songwriting project between Muddy and Pete, the former Motown-singing Marcus Malone quickly came on board to add his one-of-a-kind vocal phrasing to a project that spans rock, blues, Americana and Latino music.

Muddy explains: ‘I had just completed my River Flows album, and then we had to lock down [for COVID quarantine]. I was talking to Pete about some song ideas, but I wanted someone else to sing them.’” Enter Marcus Malone. That connection quickly blossomed into an EP idea and subsequently a catalogue of songs.

As Pete adds: “The idea was to tap into honest emotions and thematic narratives with an open-ended musical approach. It took us to places we hadn’t imagined.”

The best thing about this debut release is its nuclear energy. It would form a mushroom cloud stretching from the depths of the ocean to Mount Everest heights. The biggest minus is that the in-your-face instrumentation nearly drowns out some terrific lyrics. Exhibit A: a sample from the opening number, “Angel Town.” “Living for the moment, but the moment never comes. Chasing my own shadows in the city of the sun. Hard times acting busy, but doing nothing at all. Still giving it my best shot, while heading for a fall.” That’s enough existential angst to match Holden Caulfield’s in Catcher in the Rye, but you won’t catch it unless you listen closely (if you can). “Handmade Pearl,” an ode to RV camping, should be a bit more decipherable. The best track, IMHO, is “Can’t Put a Price on Love.” Everything thrums in sweet equilibrium: guitar, keyboards, understated drums, and some strong vocal harmony.

Ready for a real-deal blues blast (all pun intended)? Marvel at London’s newest Black Pearl!

bluesblastmagazine.com

Rock n Force – Review

f experience is not everything, that of Marcus Malone, Muddy Manninen and Pete Feenstra added to an exceptional feeling and an elegant and effective songwriting sparks on this first eponymous opus...

Read More »
Strutter Magazine NL – Review

Right from the very first few seconds of the debut CD of BLACK PEARL, it is clear we are dealing with something really strong and sensational. he band or should I say project was formed...

Read More »
Rootstime – Review

Black Pearl was the result of the inventiveness that the Covid pandemic demanded of the artists in the past year. An American, a Finn and a Dutchman released their debut album, with eleven original...

Read More »
Guitar Door – Review

If you were thinking of putting a price on love, then put $12.99 on this album, because that’s what the “Price on Love” is, if your love is for contemporary rock blues, a great guitar...

Read More »
Concert Monkey, Belgium – Review

lack Pearl is a brand new contemporary rock/blues project featuring London-based Detroit singer/guitarist Marcus Malone, former Wishbone Ash guitarist and arranger Muddy Manninen and songwriter Pete Feenstra....

Read More »
Blues in Britain – Review

Black Pearl is a studio collaboration between guitarist Muddy Manninen (Wishbone Ash) and lyrist Pete Feenstra probably best known for his tireless work in promoting music in South London. The two started working on songs...

Read More »
Scroll to Top