Pearl & The Oysters have a new album on the way. Take a trip to Planet Pearl, out in all known and unknown universes on September 20th. You can pre-order gatefold vinyl, including a special space arm splatter edition today. The announcement comes with Jojo and Juju’s new “depressed disco” song “Big Time”.
Stream: Pearl & The Oysters – “Big Time”
Pre-order Vinyl: Pearl & The Oysters – Planet Pearl
On “Big Time”, Pearl & The Oysters cast a skeptical eye on sun-drenched, seemingly carefree L.A. Its vibrant music video directed by Nikki Milan Houston is a spin on the 80s B-movie, inspired by John Carpenter’s “They Live”. “It’s our version of an LA-centric mini-musical,” says Nikki. “It showcases the inhabitants of Planet Pearl as they pose for their own kind of postcard.”
The influence of Brazilian music is strong on Planet Pearl – Jojo’s PhD was on the composer Antônio Carlos Jobim – as is the concept of saudade. “Big Time” is inspired by the Brazilian artist Chico Buarque’s “Construção”, with the lyrics written in rhyming couplets. The main harmonic and melodic influence for the song was the Doobie-Brothers-to-Rita-Lee pipeline.
Planet Pearl tackles heavier subjects, including the state of the world, mental health and the feeling of being “literal outsiders everywhere we go”. But no matter how melancholic or alienated they feel, Juju and Jojo always see the fun side, channeling their feelings into jazz-pop joy.
Pearl & The Oysters Upcoming Tour Dates
Europe
11 August – Venlo, The Netherlands – Zomerparkfeest
16 August – Geneva, Switzerland – Piz Palü
18 August – Le Juch, France – Chez Hubert
USA
10/16/2024 – Brooklyn, NY – Elsewhere (Zone One)
10/17/2024 – Philadelphia, PA – PhilaMOCA
10/18/2024 – Washington D.C. – Comet Ping Pong
10/19/2024 – Raleigh, NC – Neptunes
10/21/2024 – Gainesville, FL – The Wooly
10/23/2024 – Atlanta, GA – 529 Bar
10/24/2024 – Nashville, TN – The Blue Room
10/26/2024 – Denton, TX – Rubber Gloves
10/27/2024 – Austin, TX – Mohawk
10/29/2024 – Phoenix, AZ – Last Exit
11/03/2024 – Los Angeles, CA – Echoplex
