Press
“They transcend genre. It’s indie folk music, but it’s also infused with blues hollers, the occasional jazz riff, and a deep passion for the material. The proof is in Pearl and the Beard’s latest album, ‘Killing the Darlings.’”
The Boston Globe
“New York born trio Pearl and the Beard are not your typical ensemble. Just listen to our premiere of their tune, “Reverend,” and you will see what we mean. Combining cello, guitar, glockenspiel, drums, accordion and multiple vocal harmonies, Pearl and the Beard doesn’t seem to be copying anyone’s style right now. “Reverend” is a perfect example of their zero to sixty music style that gets you tapping your toes and clapping your hands.”
Filter Magazine
“…As Pearl and the Beard joyfully belted their song “Reverend,” with its rolling beat and lilting harmonies, to a growing crowd on the [subway] platform… commuters missed their trains to stay and listen, unsure what was happening—only that it was a New York moment not to be missed.”
The Wall Street Journal
“Brooklyn trio Pearl and the Beard make sweet and soulful campfire folk, but when they play live, they add in a jolt of quirk that takes their music to the next level.”
Nylon Magazine
“Neverland’s got nothing on the whimsical world constructed by Pearl and the Beard. The N.Y.C. based trio carries listeners on their backs through a DIY dreamland that is unpredictable yet safe and warm like the comfort of one’s own bed.”
Bust Magazine
“The biggest surprise of the night was opening act Pearl and the Beard. [Headliner Ani] DiFranco has good taste, that’s for sure. The Brooklyn trio… simply dazzled DiFranco’s happy crowd. Following their seven song set, fans lined up at the band’s merch table snapping up CDs as though they’d just seen The Beatles.”
Times Union
“Thank goodness Jocelyn Mackenzie, Emily Hope Price and Jeremy Styles found each other — the three New Yorkers who make up Pearl and the Beard are really onto something special. Individually, each possesses a warm, resonant voice that delights the listener; when articulated in harmonic accord, these voices blend in a breathtaking way. They exercise these rousing, rich vocals in songs that are extraordinarily engaging, at times emotive and sweeping, at others light and jubilant. Think of the band as a more percussive, amped-up version of The Low Anthem — its songs are as beautiful, alternately breaking the heart and putting it back together. Yet, Pearl and the Beard is much more prone to meander into upbeat folk and world sounds, incorporating instruments such as glockenspiel, accordion, melodica and cello into its guitar-and-percussion-driven tunes.”
Columbia Daily Tribune
“Pearl and the Beard is worth your time. The band’s simple orchestrations, built around acoustic guitar and cello and flecked with percussion (but not a traditional drum kit), are straight gorgeous, as are the voices of all three members.”
Pittsburgh City Paper
“Sweet, gentle and scrumptious, the music of Brooklyn trio Pearl and the Beard conjures up lazy summer afternoons at just the time we need that kind of thing most. The group consists of just three souls—Jocelyn Mackenzie, Emily Hope Price and Jeremy Styles—but its sophisticated vocal harmonies and crafty arrangements make a big impression.”
Time Out New York
“The Brooklyn, NY-based trio Pearl and the Beard are known for infusing a little happiness into their dark and alluring folk songs.”
John Schaefer, Sound Check, WNYC
“Powerful, haunting melodies, coupled with sweet, soft guitar picking and rhythmic percussion has established Pearl and the Beard as one of the hottest acts to emerge from the Brooklyn indie scene, generating fans who love them the way they are, and the way they’ve always been.”
Deli Magazine
“Jocelyn Mackenzie, Emily Hope Price, and Jeremy Styles bring together the right side of whimsical, with gorgeous harmonies, tinkering melodies and beautiful folk-drenched lyrics of love and loss. I’m so happy they met.”
Silent Radio UK
“Pearl and the Beard play lovely, thoughtful folk ballads that are perfect for cozy, lazy Sundays. Each musician is also an exceptionally talented vocalist, and the rich vocal melodies are carefully arranged around warm harmonies. There is a wide range of mood and emotion captured here, from soothing to brooding, with just a touch of Gothic drama. This is really exceptional songwriting, and the interplay between vocalists reminds me of Dirty Projectors more than any traditional folk act.”
Flagpole Magazine
“The Brooklyn trio… features silky, three-part vocal harmonies, equally alluring and arresting. Blending campfire folk with damaged marching band dirges, this group of NYC folksters has stumbled upon a new, happier breed of freak folk… Behind the group’s charming veneer are moving, honest stories wrapped in gut-churning cello, propelled by melodies that burrow themselves into your brain and call it home.”
Beyond Race Magazine
“Pearl and the Beard are creative and talented, especially when it comes to the combining of individual ability to produce the greatest outcome.”
Knocks from the Underground
“Pearl and the Beard opened for a sold out Ani Difranco show Sunday night [4/22/12] at Asbury Hall at Babeville. This three piece eclectic band fired up the capacity crowd. Their energetic set is as wild as they are, a genre defying mix of cello, guitar and drums that synergizes into a perfectly blended tone – OK, that is an awkward phrase, but they sound great together, and they sound way better than you’d ever dream those instruments would. That is the true mark of a great performer and a great performance. Their set was the term synergy made real.”
LeeHoffmanPhoto.com
“Pearl and the Beard is modern folk at its most graceful. Sans pretense and fresh with tangled harmonies… their simple lyrics are lifted with airy, soul-turning melodies yet reasoned by earthy sounds. It’s unique and exceptional.”
The SoHo Journal
“Pearl and the Beard make dynamic, sweeping, irresistible folk music, cut with a theatrical flair and rich with absolutely lovely vocal interplay among the band’s three outstanding vocalists.”
ComfortRadio.org
“Quirky Brooklyn folk trio Pearl and the Beard… is a breath of fresh air in New York’s cluttered music scene, and they’re well on their way to success.”
BreakThru Radio
“Pearl and the Beard’s gentle folk melodies and graceful, cohesive harmonies beg to be listened to in a homey log cabin somewhere.”
Rebel Spirit Music
“Emerging from that musical wilderness of Brooklyn, NYC, Pearl and the Beard are combing America’s past for their inspiration, producing energetic throaty roots music best enjoyed in an intimate live setting.”
SpliceToday.com
“…A soaring, stomping celebration of sound that warms both heart and toes.”
Urban Folk Magazine
“Brooklyn’s Pearl and the Beard…declaim where others mumble, roar where others mew, rhapsodize where others explain, and dash, scramble, mince, or stomp where others feel pressure to merely stroll.”
Deus Ex Minutiae
“Upbeat and warm, the voices swim and dance together en masse while drums, horns, xylophones and other backing instruments chime in time and create a feathery bed for these three to lay their vocals on. Probably not pop enough to make a big break, but heck that only ups their cool points.”
Metromix
“Whimsical, dramatic and soul-stirring, the talented trio Pearl and the Beard… create unforgettable moments in time, carving out moments in melody hard to comprehend at times and easy to enjoy. Highly recommended!”
Ryan’s Smashing Life
