Pearl Charles – Desert Queen
Four years after the release of her previous album Magic Mirror to positive reviews, Pearl Charles continues to explore disco, funk and rock in her latest album Desert Queen, produced by Lewis Pesacov, who worked with the Southern-California band Local Natives. Inspired by Fleetwood Mac, the theme of the record includes disillusionment with city life and moving to a more secluded area, the difficulties of navigating life while trying to keep positive and reflecting on the past, present and future.
The album begins with City Lights, a disco-funk-inspired song with country elements. The song has an amazing bassline, intimate breathy vocals and a danceable melody similar to songs that swayed hips at the legendary Studio 54 club. However, the reverb on the vocals makes some lyrics inaudible; this issue persists in the next song, Step Too Far; the stacked vocal layers and vocal mixing unfortunately divert attention from the otherwise well-performed lead vocal.
The next song on the tracklist, the soft-rock inspired Middle of the Night, sounds like it could have been a deep cut on Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours with its groovy electric guitar riffs and alluring vocal harmonies. The production on this song is better than its predecessors, with the perfectly executed vocal layering and mixing truly highlighting Charles’s impressive vocals. She isn’t afraid to be personal during the album. With the song Just What It Is, she sings about self-forgiveness and embracing the painful memories as part of her identity; Givin’ It Up shows further self-reflection when she soulfully vocalises about reluctantly accepting the love she wants and deserves.
The album’s highlight is the psychedelic-art-rock song Smoke In the Limousine, complete with a beautiful string arrangement, ethereal vocal layering and impeccable songwriting. “Smoke and mirrors” is used as a double entendre for luxury and splendour, but also for how our realities are a façade. The song is a cross between a record by The Beatles and Cocteau Twins. While the rest of the album is solid, the vocal mix on Nothing On Me meant that some lyrics (not to the extent of the first two songs) were also unintelligible. Nevertheless, the vocal performances on the last three songs (and throughout the album) were impressive.
Despite its shortcomings, Desert Queen is a particularly good record with introspective writing, versatile vocals and excellent instrumentation. Worth multiple listens, fans and casual listeners will love the album.
Glory Matondo
Photo: Dana Trippe
Desert Queen is released on 30th May 2025. For further information or to order the album, visit Pearl Charles’s website here.
Watch the video for the single Just What It Is here:
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