Sarah White and the Pearls: White Light

Sarah White and the Pearls
White Light
Antenna Farm
2006-09-26

According to the accompanying press kit, Sarah White was born in Warrenton, Virginia, but spent a number of adventuresome years in Monroe County, West Virginia, “riding around in pickup trucks and raising pigs for 4-H.” I guess that’s what passes for street cred if you’re in an alt-country band. Anyway, this is a serviceable little alt-country disc, though I’d hardly describe it as “a back porch classic in the making” as the publicist does. The songs are generally laid-back with a rustic flair, provided by the Pearls (Jeffrey Grosfeld on bass, and Steve Ingham on drums). The comparatively spare, largely acoustic arrangements put White’s “distinctive bourbon and rolling tobacco-soaked vocals” front and center. Overall, this is a nice little disc, with a number of likeable tracks, although some feature odd flourishes, like the shouted chorus of “Fightin’ Words”, which just destroys the mellow vibe of the song.

RATING 5 / 10