The Pierces: Love You More

The Pierces
Love You More
Polydor
[Rating: 3.5 stars]

Do yourself a favor and take a few minutes to listen to the Pierces’ new EP without distraction. Don’t talk on the telephone. Don’t skim the newspaper. Just put Love You More on, sit back, and get ready. When you hear the hard-hitting rock guitars swirl around the smoky, R&B-tinged vocals, your only question may be why you hadn’t heard the lush music of sister Catherine and Allison Pierce before.

Right from the title track, which Catherine wrote about a romantic break up, the music grips you. Credit the throbbing, sophisticated vocals – something akin to Fiona Apple meets Stevie Nicks – that are deftly supported by authoritative guitars and drums. With dashes of keyboards, acoustic guitar, and delicately woven harmonies, each of the four songs on the EP is a winner.

Although the sisters Pierce had a degree of popular and commercial success in the past – including songs on the TV shows “Dexter” and “Gossip Girl” – they disbanded when record company shenanigans failed to launch their musical career. Thanks to Coldplay’s Guy Berryman and his partner, Grammy Award-winning producer Rik Simpson – who began their own production company The Darktones and offered to produce the sisters’ album – Catherine and Allison decided to give their music another try.

The sisters’ upcoming album You & I was recorded over the better part of a year in both Coldplay’s London studios and the famous Electric Lady studio in New York. Berryman plays electric guitar, bass and percussion on the album. Will Champion of Coldplay, Glenn Moule of Howling Bells and Matt Romano of Little Joy also make guest appearances. The result – certainly on the EP — is musical magic that likely foreshadows more great Pierces’ music to come.

The Pierces – Love You More by Polydor Records