stuart pearson

Stuart Pearson: Contemporary bard, "Mojave" reflects American culture under a sound narrative with the desert as background (translated from Portuguese)

by Daniela Farah - Roadie Music
There are some productions so powerful that they create their own atmosphere capable of influencing other works. "Mojave" is one of those albums that contains a sonic construction so impressive that it pierces the listener. We don't know if Stuart Pearson's new work has a movie or a series about its influence, but it might as well. There are ten songs so well constructed that they tell a story, reflecting American nuances.

The bard sets the tone that will permeate the album in "Like A House With Broken Windows." Even those who have never been in a desert can feel the heat and see the smoke coming off the highway, the bodies bent over and tired, shielding themselves from the sun's rays. The narrative of the "house with the broken windows" is strong, and even if you do not understand the English language, stopping and paying attention to the story is the only thing to do. It shows how powerful Stuart's work is, which makes an analogy of the house with the man.

The whispered bass vocal of "Down the Ravine" is set against the energetic, fast-paced beats. Put on a pair of headphones to be able to absorb all the complexity of sound. There is brass and an old telephone-like alarm beeping in the background. "Dragging The Lake (on the Day of the Dead)" maintains the whispering that here conveys the idea of mystery that surrounds the desert itself, albeit under a cabaret jazz rhythm that is burlesque and infectious in the extreme.

Following a line closer to the American classic, "Are They Digging Your Grave (or are they digging mine?)" arrives with the scent of a contemporary Western. The American bard telling stories with analogies in a captivating sound, returns to narration with the depth of one who speaks from the graves, yet reflects on life. "Tomorrow's Gonna Hunt You Down" is almost a psychological bang-bang, with the constant tension of keeping the gun close, even if in a discreet way. It goes beyond being prepared for the worst, which can happen at any moment.

"One Cut" breaks the aesthetic that permeates the album in a very complementary way. Sung by Hunter Lowry, who co-wrote the composition, the track brings an extremely feminine counterpoint, not only because of the singer's soft and gentle voice, but for representing the strength to accept the fragility of life. It is a romantic ballad, in the best style of the word, a relationship haunted by the human imperfection of life.

The excellent album also features "You Don't See Me (Jimmy Crack Corn)", "The Interstate", "You Never Really Know", and "Dance Skeletons Dance". Stuart Pearson is the contemporary bard portraying in his Dark Americana, real stories that dance in the fire with legends.

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