Daniel Pearson has had some fertile ground in which to grow his latest creation. ‘Alone, Together’ is his third full-length studio album, following 2011’s ‘Satellites’ and 2013’s ‘Mercury State’, but this record arrives as the result of a myriad of changes in Daniel’s life, ones which have profoundly impacted the sound and themes of the album. Most significantly, Daniel got married, and we see this in the heartfelt (albeit complicated) love songs that permeate with the poetic flair he has come to be known for. “I remember I was lost in the twilight, falling and stumbling with nowhere to go, then I saw you like a vision in the lowlight, it’s true what they say, when you know you know,” he sings in the smooth folk ballad ‘The Open Sea’.
The orchestral country/Americana anthem ‘I Still Believe’ also lies in this vein, an empowering track that could be as much about the strengthening of a relationship as it could be about a renewed sense of religious faith. Underpinning it is a sense of trials and tribulations, and that serves as the blueprint for much of ‘Alone, Together’. Also occurring during the making of this album was Daniel leaving his teaching job to become an independent musician full-time, in addition to battling a rare form of eye cancer that he ultimately won. Songs like the anthemic opener ‘Hymn For The Hopeless’ perfectly capture the conflicting helplessness, melancholy and eventually hope that difficult times summon, and the universality and ambiguity of Daniel’s words mean that they can apply to anyone’s situation.
None demonstrate that so potently as the album’s lead single ‘As Deep As Love’, which reflects on the pain that love and hardship can bring. “Broken into pieces, my bones are strung like raindrops on a wire, words on your tongue, nothing cuts as deep as love,” he sings, the powerful imagery making it all the more emotive. There’s desperation in his plight, ‘The Bridge’ finding driving rock ‘n’ roll guitars pushing us over the edge as we empathize with the notion of feeling suddenly lost and broken. But there’s also a defiance, and the jangly, bluesy guitars and infectious rhythm of ‘Rivers’ accompany a simple lyric about moving forward. “Take what you want, you’ll never take what I’ve got, watch this river run, flowing over everyone, oh, don’t ever give up, climb those walls they built until the sun comes up,” Daniel sings, encompassing the entire track’s lyric. That’s all that needs to be said.
But his emotional journey from ‘Mercury State’ to ‘Alone, Together’ would not be complete without the birth of his first son. The event clearly had a profound impact on him, the charming closer ‘Come Back Around’ a heartfelt expression of unconditional love and support as he grapples with becoming a father. But there’s more to first-time parenthood than discovering undying love for another being, and the blues-rock romp of ‘Circles’ is an example of Daniel coming to terms with adulthood and his own purpose in life. Meanwhile, the arena-ready Americana of ‘War Stories’ reflects on how all of us use the escapism of substances and social gatherings to avoid our own failures, questions and misgivings. “Neon lit dark streets, open all night, broken hearts come together tonight, old faces and old tales, a comfort all the same,” he sings on the first verse, before later observing, “Washing away all our sins, we won’t know where to begin, walking wounded on the dance floors, powders and pills, mirrors in the bathroom, all dressed to kill.”
Armed with the grit and edge of previous offerings, and complete with the hooky melodies and lush orchestration that makes Daniel Pearson such an impressive musician and songwriter, ‘Alone, Together’ is just that; an examination of how we are all alone, together, and how we cope with what life throws at us. It is insightful, reflective, and yet struck with an uplifting chord that leaves us feeling comforted somehow. Daniel has done it again.
Originally posted here.
