Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
We covet the strangest of rarities in our pursuit of beauty, we adorn our skin with gems but often our hearts and souls go without such finesse; such is the skewed way we consider wealth we would rather glorify gold and silver as a mark of our good fortune and populace than ever offer merit to that which may have come from a more unexpected place, which to some could be an irritant, but which holds an artist’s eye with a fonder, more alluring sense of style, and whilst Gold may ravish, it is Pearls On A String that highlights sensuality and natural instinctive charm.
For Katarina Pejak’s third album on Ruf Records, if you include the astonishingly cool live appearance in the Blues Caravan with Ally Venable and Ina Forsman, Pearls On A String offers the Belgrade born Blues player a sense of persuasion to go deeper into her ability and showcase a confidence that has been steadily flowering, blossoming, with complete regard for her space and time. It is with pride for the listener and artist alike that the album does that with polish and sparkle…a groove of enlightenment that is satisfying and cool.
There is so much to take from the album, so many tracks that weave and embroider a foundation of respect and appreciation on the listener’s conscious, and the groove they maintain is one of supreme feeling, of audible prosperity, so much so that those pearls that glimmer and catch the light in the audience’s eyes are not held on string, but on a necklace of smooth velvet.
Across tracks such as Jeremy’s Boat, Notes On Boredom, Witness, Sunglasses, Slow Explosion, and the delicious cover of Pink Floyd’s Money, Katarina Pejak embarks on a tide of grace that is the hallmark of Ruf Records’ intrinsic belief, but she also has fun, it can be heard on every note, it is felt in every syllable of sound that comes from her core, and with her husband Romain Guillot aiding her as co-producer and sound engineer, that sense of fun is framed with creative understanding; an urge to unbox the finest treasure to date.
Katarina Pejak may be the new woman on the block, but as an artist her self-assuredness is compelling, her song writing exciting, and her musicianship gripping; undeniably it is better to have pearls on a string and stand out rather than gold on a chain and blend in.
Katarina Pejak releases Pearls On A String on April 19th via Ruf Records.
Ian D. Hall