Released earlier this year through Stones Throw Records, Pearl & The Oysters‘ fourth album, Coast 2 Coast is heavily influenced by the pair’s move from Paris to Los Angeles — with a stop in Florida. Written mostly in Juliette “Pearl” Davis’ and Joachim Polack’s 1-bed apartment, the album’s material was fleshed out by a collection of friends and collaborators including Stereolab‘s Lætitia Sadier, Unknown Mortal Orchesta‘s, Caroline Rose’s and La Luz’s Riley Geare, Neon Indian creative mastermind Alan Palomo, Dent May, Mild High Club‘s Alex Brettin, and Shags Chamberlain, who mixed the album.
Because it was inspired so much by the pair’s relocation, the album thematically explores the idea of travel — physical, mental, experienced and fantasized. The album draws on an eclectic array of aesthetics and images, including Barbarella followed by an Agnés Varda triple bill; Florida swamps and sandy L.A. beaches under a mirrorball-like sun; a radio picking up a faraway broadcast before it fades into an oldies pop station, and crashing waves that melt into the sound of Davis’ white noise machine, among other things.
Coast 2 Coast‘s latest single “Fireflies” is a breezy and nostalgia-tinged bop built around woozy analog synths, twinkling keys, a supple bass line and a steady yet propulsive backbeat paired with Davis’ plaintive delivery. Sonically. “Fireflies” reminds me a bit of a synthesis of Young Narrator in the Breakers-era Pavo Pavo and 70s AM rock. Inspired by the late composer Ryuchi Sakamoto, the song explores dream states and insomniac visions.
Directed by Ambar Navarro, the accompanying video for “Fireflies” is informed by old sci-fi films: We see Davis hatching from a pearl and throughout the video, she plays a a daydreaming Tinkerbell type, who travels freely from planet to planet. Police acts as a controller of the universe while trying to capture Juliette, who has teleportation powers.”
The duo are about to embark on a lengthy North American tour to support the new album that includes a May 14, 2023 stop at Montréal‘s Casa Del Popolo and a May 17, 2023 stop at Elsewhere’s Zone 1. Check out the rest of the tour dates below.
Tour Dates
29 April – Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room
2 May – Sacramento, CA – Starlet Room
4 May – Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios
5 May – Seattle, WA – Belltown Bloom Festival
6 May – Boise, ID – Neurolux
7 May – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court
9 May – Kansas City – MO – recordBar
10 May – Minneapolis, MN – Green Room
11 May – Chicago, IL – Empty Bottle
12 May – Detroit, MI – The Magic Bag
13 May – Kingston, ON – Hotel Wolfe Island
14 May – Montreal, QC – Casa Del Popolo
15 May – Troy, NY – No Fun
17 May – Brooklyn, NY – Elsewhere Zone 1
18 May – Philadelphia, PA – PhilaMoca
19 May – Lancaster, PA – The B Stage
20 May – Washington, DC – Comet Ping Pong
22 May – Charlotte, NC – Snug Harbor
23 May – Athens, GA – 40 Watt Club
24 May – Gainesville, FL – Heartwood Soundstage
26 May – Austin, TX – Mohawk
27 May – San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger
29 May – Phoenix, AZ – Trunk Space
31 May – San Francisco, CA – The Chapel
1 Nov – Paris, FR – La Maroquinerie
2 Nov MJC Ô Totem Rilleux-la-Pape (Lyon) France
6 Nov – Glasgow, UK – Broadcast
7 Nov – Edinburgh, UK – Sneaky Pete’s
8 Nov – Leeds, UK – Hyde Park Book Club
9 Nov – Manchester, UK – The Castle Hotel
10 Nov – Bristol, UK – The Crofters Right
11 Nov – London, UK – Pitchfork Festival
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