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.
STRUTTER MAGAZINE (NL)
BLACK PEARL ‘BLACK PEARL’ (Redline Music /Cadiz/)
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.
Opener ‘Angel Town’ is a magnificent piece of melodic bluesy rock with an amazing soaring guitar, beautiful soulful vocals and an overall vibe that should please fans of JOE BONAMASSA and early WHITESNAKE, although BLACK PEARL definitely has an own identity.
The band or should I say project was formed by PETE FEENSTRA, who lives in France, but is originally from The Netherlands.
He is a blues promoter, blues-rock DJ and songwriter, and he got London based, Detroit vocalist/guitarist MARCUS MALONE and former WISHBONE ASH guitarist and bassist/keyboard player, arranger MUDDY MANNINEN on board to join him and record a full album as BLACK PEARL.
There are several more guests, but the 3 of them are actually the main core of the project.
Marcus is an amazing American singer, who did a lot in the past, starting with the band MARCUS in the 1970s, They released one album that has recently been re-issued on CD by ROCK CANDY RECORDS.
Anyway, this album is a clear winner for fans of the current popular melodic bluesy soul influenced rock sound.
The album has no weak moments, and besides the first song other highlights are ‘Delivery Man’, ‘Price On Love’, and ‘Moment Of Regret’.
Please do yourself a favor and check out this sensational album! More info at: https://blackpearlmusic22.com/
(Points: 8.5 out of 10)
Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem
