At risk of sounding something to the effect of Peter Cook, expectations. Expectations is what brings us together today.
The profound impact of Daniel Pearson’s Mercury State is nothing short of spectacular. Making number 10 on our Top Discoveries of 2012, it was undeniably a memorable album.
Now, we’re three years later and on deck for another release from Mr. Pearson. And while there was a preemptive fascination to Alone, Together I would be remiss if I said it came without trepidation and a rather large dose of expectation.
After years of waiting, Alone, Together, the nine track release from UK singer/songwriter Daniel Pearson, left me disappointed. Disappointed in myself.
If, like me, your mind gravitates to finding the next “Factory Floor,” “Rat Race,” and “All is Not Lost” it is easy to miss the impact of Alone. The acoustic beauty that flows like a reflective river, this time looking inward, rather than at society and economics, glides seamlessly through your blood with an elegance that comes naturally to Pearson. Opening with “Hymn for the Hopeless” it quickly becomes obvious what he means with the album title. The lifting spirit the album quickly embodies is shrouded in honesty with lyrical complexities by way of reality that keeps everything meaningful and on point yet captivating all at once. Pearson continues to move forward with the dark, sharp edge of “As Deep As Love,” the lighter, acoustically driven rendition of “I Still Believe” (the piano driven somber version appearing on Mercury State) and the “swapping war stories/in the bar light tonight” of “War Stories” which once again displays Pearson’s writing ability that sets him apart from the rest.
I will be the first to admit it took me a few runs through Alone, Together to fully realize what strength the record possesses. Not because of what it possesses, but because of my expectations. It isn’t complicated, it doesn’t get overly fancy, and it doesn’t attempt to be anything but honest. And honestly, it is everything we could hope, and then some, from one of the UK’s most impressive singer/songwriters.
Greg is a co-founder and regular contributor at Nanobot Rock.