Katy J Pearson – Sound of the Morning

Katy J Pearson says she places an emphasis on longevity – that she wants to gradually perfect her craft over the course of several albums rather than chase overnight success. Her second attempt might be too early to adjudicate, but it certainly seems we can take her at her word. Granted, none of the singles from Sound of the Morning reach the same heights as Miracle or Take Back the Radio, but the album boasts undeniably matured songwriting and a fuller sound. 

It would be great to hear more complex writing in places, especially now that a brass section and more electronic sounds are in the mix, but she knows how to use simplicity to her advantage – The Hour is a repetitive and stripped-back lament for absent family members that leaves you wallowing in its sadness.

Sound of the Morning is filled with delightful instrumental details, from the title track’s opening rumble that suggests distant storm clouds, to the chromatic bassline on Alligator, to Black Midi's Morgan Simpson’s stand-out drumming on Storm to Pass. Pinning it all together, as always, are Pearson’s birdsong-adjacent vocals. She even turns her hand to a Krautrock-inspired cover of Willow’s Song from The Wickerman. It’s excellent, and filled with momentum, even if she could have gone a bit more ethereal on the 'ooh-aahs' at the end – we know she has it in her.

Listen to: Sound of the Morning, Howl, Storm to Pass