Pearl Earl

Meet Mearl, Earl and Estaban. Just three regular dudes playing a psychedelic rock show at Mable Peabody's the week before Halloween. Upon careful and highly technical inspection, you might notice that these are actually the male alter egos of the members of Denton's Pearl Earl.

The band locks in to a well-influenced and diverse range of psychedelic rock styles, and fuses them together across different songs and even mixes them up within individual songs. Dissonant, effects-heavy guitars and bluesy, syncopated drum beats are held down by winding bass while lilting vocals tie each song together. With two songs out and a full-length on the way, Pearl Earl is a force of nature.

At this cross-dressing show, the band said they had one of the best receptions to their sound so far, even despite a slight wardrobe malfunction ("My mustache kept falling off," singer and guitarist Ariel Hartley says).

Each member of the trio has always had an affinity for a certain subgenre of psychedelic rock or different genres, forming a melting pot that provides a diverse range of song stylings. Progressive rock, Australian rock and blues rock bands have all lent their influence to the sound of Pearl Earl, and each member is also in a different, but slightly related, side project. Because Denton.

"We all have unique tastes, but Pearl Earl is where they all come together," Hartley says.

Even in just the two songs that are currently out, it's clear that the band is capable of a grand variety of song types. "If" features a skipping beat and slightly dissonant chords over a reverberating vocal part. The bass line hums under the mix, provided by bassist Stefanie Lazcano. The song's swing pushes a bluesy tone, but halfway through the wiry parts turn into a giant wall of power chords, wielding a Tame Impala guitar tone and aggression. The transition is crucial, because without it things would stray dangerously close to being repetitive. Drummer Bailey K. Chapman says that that's no accident.

"We know that diversity is incredibly important because there's a lot of neo-psychedelia happening and it can often blend together to be too homogenous," Chapman explains. "We always try to mix it up."

On the flip side, the other single "Karaoke Superstar" is driven by narrative, telling the tragic story of the metaphysical idea of a character that pours his/her heart into karaoke performances. Though the idea is universal, there were a few real-life "superstars" that were particularly inspiring.

"'Karaoke Superstar' started as a drunken joke song, but it's about that old burnout woman or man clutching a PBR and belting out their favorite song night after night," Chapman says with a laugh. Hartley adds, "But, she's a really good singer."

Much of the inspiration came from a country gay bar right across the street from their practice space. The array of characters inevitably inspired this song, based on one of these people as a subject.

Right now, Pearl Earl has two singles recorded and an album's-worth of songs written. The band plans to record soon and have a release early in the summer.

Their performances have generated excitement among local concert-goers and even gotten people to mouth the words to "Karaoke Superstar." They've also got their sights on getting down to Dallas and trying to play at Three Links in the near future. In the interest of increasing the depth of their sound, they've also recently enlisted an unnamed keyboard player to perform live with the band.

"We can add a lot with a spacey harpsichord sound," Chapman says. Hartley adds, "I'd definitely like to get a bit spacier. Not breaking away from '60s, but not having just a girl rock band sound."

For Chapman, being able to transition from doing more visual art to aural art has been hugely rewarding in getting to play with the band. For Hartley, the primary songwriter, she's enjoyed getting to define the direction of the band and have an outlet for the songs she writes.

"For this project I get to really explore what I want to do musically," Hartley says. "I get to challenge myself to be a performer. And I like being able to see what I can do and what we're all capable of as a band, and as close friends. We're always supportive and lovey." - Dallas Observer

7. Pearl Earl — Karaoke Superstar EP

Genre revival is a perilous venture. Pearl Earl could've just gleaned bits and pieces from their psychedelic forefathers (and mothers) and called it a day. But on Karaoke Superstar its clear they won't settle for mimicry in their tireless pursuit of reality-warping rainbow-fuzz rock. The recent addition of keyboardist Charlie Beaman rounds out their sound perfectly, adding haunting synth organ to create moody melodies. Singer/guitarist Ariel Hartley also flexes her versatile voice, flipping between an aggressive yet monotone approach on "Witches Brew" to warbling wails on "If." Pearl Earl may be a veritable jack (or jill?) of all trades, but they've still managed to master them all. Matt Wood - Dallas Observer

I mean ON. FIRE! Like NBA Jam on fire. In no time, Pearl Earl started picking up press and some seriously coveted shows. I know because yours truly did much of that coveting. Then, they announced their west coast tour. Like any hatin’-ass dude out there, I wanted to blame it on some secret, some mystery element. When you hear “Karaoke Superstar”, there’s no mystery. These songs are good, and they’re in very good hands. Now, that’s hard to argue with, but it won’t stop me from hatin’. I mean their upcoming tour takes them through Seattle, Olympia, L.A., Portland, even Wyoming? I’m mad about it. MAD. ABOUT. IT.

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I’m mad they blend genres like surf rock (before AND after the drugs), proto-punk, proto-metal and all kinds of garage shit with the occasional Latin beat and even like 60s French Pop, I swear. They got me trying to coin terms like “Bubblegum Sludge.” I’m hatin’.

I’m mad Ariel Hartley can sound all angelic and vicious at the same damn time. Intimidating and coy, not only in the same phrase but mostly, the same damn word. I’m hatin’.

I’m mad Stefanie Lozcano’s bass can make you follow the groove through key changes, bridges, and breakdowns so smoothly that you might not notice the change until you’re back to the original riff. She needs to just sit down with all that. I don’t need those mind games. I’m hatin’

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I’m mad Charlie Beaman, the keyboardist, got this dude questioning himself. I’m not saying romantically or sexually, but like, would it be weird if I wanted to like check out how strong his hands are? Or I could be like, “Wanna arm wrestle?” and maybe, he’d be all, “Too scared to wrestle for real?” and then, I’d get kinda quiet. See man? I’m all confused! I’m hatin’.

I’m mad Bailey K Chapman has more stage presence behind a drum set than some “rock stars” I’ve seen would with a gun in their hands. I’m hatin’.

I’m mad they had me singing my own gibberish for a long ass time until I learned the words. Then, the real words were BETTER THAN MY GIBBERISH?! How dare they! I’m hatin’.

I’m mad they opened for Chastity Belt at 35 Denton, in the basement of J&J’s Pizza, and crushed it. They even inspired some goofy kid to head bang for the first time. I know it was his first time because he threw his head BACK and almost knocked my ass out with that fuzzy wrecking ball skull of his. Even my grandma knows that the first move is, LEAN FORWARD. I’m still mad at that kid. I’m hatin’.

I’m mad Dan’s Silverleaf left the chairs and tables by the damn stage at their release party creating this weird ass barrier of empty seats. We’re all groovin’ in the back nowhere near them. I’m like, “Is this some kinda poetic-ass foreshadowing?” or did the club think they were a lounge act? I am hatin’.

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I’m mad they could even potentially have had some foreshadowing. Plus, they made me write that sentence. They’re rude. I’m hatin.

I’m mad their song, “Witches Brew” got me using old rock n’ roll dad slang like “barnburner,” like I’m about to start drinking Busch and smoking schwag. I’m hatin’.

I’m mad BKC and Charlie (Do you think he’d be cool with me calling him just Charlie? I hope so. Dammit see? I’m confused.) make up half of Pearl Earl and two thirds of ABACABA. They’re playing two sets every show and BKC doesn’t even seem phased. That means she’s all-time drummer!! That’s crazy to me, like she just idles in beastmode, and she’s mocking me cause I have to turn it on. That’s some bullshit right there. I’m hatin’.

But listen to me, real talk, if you wanna see a BRAND NEW band firing on all cylinders and swept up in their own overwhelming chemistry, you go to one of these shows. At this show, you buy their EP and its corresponding Karaoke Superstar beer coozie. WARNING: People WILL jack that shit! Then, you tell them I was talking MAD SHIT back in TX. I’m not scared of them. Especially not Charlie, who could be scared of Charlie? Who could even be mad at Charlie? Not me. Not me at all. - The Grey Estates