This month saw the release of Katy J Pearson’s ‘Sound Of The Morning’ album, which peaked just one position outside the Official Top 40 Albums. It’s her highest chart position to date and things are certainly moving the right direction for this rising star in the making.
On the back of the new release, Katy is heading out a 17-date tour around the country this September. This includes a local performance in Brighton at Chalk on Tuesday 13th September with support coming from ex-Goat Girl bassist Naima Bock.
Tickets for this concert can be purchased HERE and HERE.
Written and recorded in late 2021, ‘Sound Of The Morning’ was co-produced by Ali Chant (Yard Act and at the helm of Katy’s debut ‘Return’) and Speedy Wunderground head-honcho Dan Carey (Fontaines DC).
Katy’s debut album, ‘Return’, released in November 2020, saw her go from Bristolian newcomer to a critically-acclaimed breakthrough star, selling out shows up and down the UK. Praised for “the arresting quality of [her] Kate Bush-meets-Dolly Parton vocal delivery” by The Times, labelled as “finding humanity in every moment” by DIY and with lead single ‘Take Back The Radio’ described as “a whoop of pure joy” in the Guardian, amidst the bleak toll of lockdown, something about this curiously optimistic album began to really resonate.
It feels fitting then that, having provided an aural balm at just the right moment with her first album, its follow-up should reflect a world brimming with curiosity, back in action and wanting to expand its horizons. If Pearson’s extracurricular activities in recent months have shown that she can dip a toe into a multitude of genres – providing guest vocals on Orlando Weeks’ recent album ‘Hop Up’; popping up with Yard Act for a collaboration at End of the Road festival; singing on trad-folk collective ‘Broadside Hacks’ 2021 project ‘Songs Without Authors’ – then forthcoming second album ‘Sound Of The Morning’ takes that spirit and runs with it. It’s still Katy J Pearson (read: effortlessly charming, full of heart and helmed by that inimitable vocal), but it’s Katy J Pearson pushing herself musically and lyrically into new waters.
It’s an album that’s as comfortable revelling in the more laid-back, Real Estate-esque melodies of lead single ‘Talk Over Town’ – a track that attempts to make sense of her recent experiences, of “being Katy from Gloucester, but then being Katy J Pearson who’s this buzzy new artist” – as it is basking in the American indie pop of ‘Float’, penned with longtime pal Oliver Wilde of Pet Shimmers, or experimenting with the buoyant brass of ‘Howl’, in which Orlando repays the favour with a vocal guest spot.
It all makes for a record that’s increasingly unafraid to explore life’s darker parts, but that does so with an openness that’s full of light. As an artist who professes to “always strive for the bittersweetness of things”, ‘Sound Of The Morning’ does just that, taking the listener’s hand and guiding them through the good and the bad, like the musical equivalent of an arm around the shoulder. “I want people to feel things with my music, but I don’t want to cause my listener too much trauma,” she notes with a cheeky glint. “Counselling is expensive, so you’ve got to pick your battles…”
So what do others say about Katy’s material…………………
“Taking many twists and turns, Pearson shows that despite her distinctive style, she is not to be pigeon-holed. From the gorgeous lilt of ‘Float’ to the smooth, climbing bass riff of ‘Alligator’ and utterly danceable ‘Game of Cards’, Pearson shows off her range with a slick sense of cohesion. A master of her craft, she shows that stripping back to basics with a simplistic accompaniment can be every bit as effective as a fully formed pop track.”
– 10/10 GIGWISE –
“Pearson has an outlook that balances British eccentricity and American confidence, a voice that finds the spot between earthy and ethereal, and a sound that blends country with folk, indie and art-pop.”
– ★★★★ The Times –
“Pearson’s gift for translating trauma into fine pop – the shimmering throb of ‘Talk Over Town’ making something anthemic of her disillusionment, ‘Alligtaor’ expressing her anxiety via medium of jagged post-punk – is a joy, as is her unflagging dry wit.”
– ★★★★ MOJO –
“Sound of the Morning is filled with delightful instrumental details, from the title track’s opening rumble that suggests distant storm clouds, to the chromatic bassline on Alligator, to Black Midi’s Morgan Simpson’s stand-out drumming on Storm to Pass. Pinning it all together, as always, are Pearson’s birdsong-adjacent vocals.”
– ★★★★ The Skinny –
“An album that nails introspective songwriting just as seamlessly as it does infectious pop.”
– Uncut Magazine ★★★★ –
“Over the course of the 26-year-old’s vocals have traversed everything from lilting Americana to tripping pop melodies to heartfelt, storytelling folk – and captivated.”
★★★★ The Guardian
“Timeless and familiar…The West Country star tackles tough conversations with toe-tapping tunes.”
★★★★ NME Magazine
“Sound Of The Morning displays an irrepressible knack for songwriting.”
★★★★ Record Collector
“A masterclass in fusing tones while implementing truly unique character.”
★★★★ Dork Magazine
“Katy J Pearson has delivered the perfect summer accompaniment with her second album Sound of the Morning, and it soars with the ease of a bird taking to flight.”
9/10 Far Out Magazine
Katy J Pearson can be found on Bandcamp and check her out via her label, Heavenly HERE.
As a footnote, fans who attend Katy’s Brighton concert at Chalk and enjoy the support artist Naima Bock, will be pleased to learn that Naima will be making a swift return the following month to the City, when she will be playing live at The Prince Albert on Tuesday 11th October 2022. You can purchase your tickets for that intimate concert HERE.
For further information on Naima Bock, visit her ‘linktree’ HERE.
