On their self-titled Epic debut, The Pierces decisively reject showbiz shallowness and flavor-of-the-month trend-mongering in favor of more substantial and enduring virtues. The album's thirteen original compositions find the young sibling duo of Allison and Catherine Pierce embracing the time-honored value of emotionally honest songcraft and the communicative properties of the human voice. The result is music that's deeply personal yet effortlessly universal, combining a strong pop sensibility with insightfully intimate lyrics.
"I always wanted to make a record that sounds classic, a record that won't sound dated in ten years,” says Catherine. "I think we managed to do that."
The 13-song collection finds the Birmingham-bred duo addressing the unpredictable storms of life and love with a compelling blend of sensitive introspection, emotional toughness and subtle spirituality, while trading harmonies with a seamless sisterly rapport. Allison, who also plays guitar, percussion and piano on the album, wrote and sings lead on such bittersweet, poignant tunes as "The Way," "I Feel Nothing" and "Jeffrey." Catherine penned and handles lead vocals on earthier numbers like "Nobody Knows," "I Don't Need You" and "Be Alright." The sisters, who generally write separately, collaborated on the uplifting "One For Me" and the wry "Wake You Up."
Thanks in part to the album's co-producers, veteran studio hand Roger Moutenot and musician/songwriter Joe Pisapia, The Pierces' impressive compositions are brought to vibrant life. The inventive arrangements tastefully combine acoustic, electric and electronic textures, while placing the focus squarely on the songs' lyrical and melodic strengths, and on the sisters' remarkable vocals.
That such youthful artists should deliver such incisive lyrics and passionate performances shouldn't be surprising in light of the sisters' extensive performing background. Growing up in an artistic, free-spirited home environment in Birmingham, Alabama, Allison and Catherine were given much latitude to explore creative pursuits, and were encouraged by their father, a lifelong musician, to develop their musical talents. As teenagers, they studied acting and painting and also received extensive ballet training. The latter led to Allison touring with the respected dance company, Ballet Magnificat; Catherine trained at prestigious ballet schools in Seattle, Pittsburgh, and New York City.
In 1995, both sisters were weary of the physical punishment intrinsic to the ballet regimen. They quit their terpsichorean pursuits and returned to Birmingham. There they began pursuing music in earnest, initially playing acoustic sets in local coffee houses, performing a variety of cover tunes as well as the originals that they were beginning to write. The Pierces soon began to build a local following around Birmingham, which they expanded when they moved to Auburn, AL to attend Auburn University.
The sisters' career "kind of took on a momentum of its own," Allison recalls. "We never really tried to book shows; people just started asking us to play. We'd play a show, and from that someone would ask us to play another show. After awhile, we started opening for people like Emmylou Harris, David Wilcox, and Sister Hazel."
The Pierces' progression towards a record deal occurred with a similar lack of calculation. After a friend sent a tape of their songs to one Nashville-based company, the twosome began attracting interest from other labels. Following a couple of false starts with prospective deals, Allison and Catherine signed with Epic Records in 1999 and entered Nashville's Woodland Studios to begin work on their debut album.
All agree that the album's birth cycle was a remarkably smooth one. "The whole process was really amazing," says Allison. "Everything happened very naturally, and we had the best time doing it. There was no ego involved, everybody was just there to try to make a good record."
"We'd recorded demos with other producers in the past, but it never really came out sounding like us," Allison continues. "But Roger and Joe did a really good job of translating our ideas into something we were comfortable with."
"I think the sound of this record leaves it open so we can grow and move in different directions," notes Catherine. "If we wanted to do an acoustic album next, it wouldn't be a total shock. Or if we wanted to something that was a bit more rock, that wouldn't sound out of place either."
The Pierces—who've lately been performing electric shows with a full band as well as acoustic duo gigs—continue to maintain a refreshing lack of premeditation, remaining open to whatever their musical future may hold.
"I just want to let things unfold in the way that they're supposed to unfold," says Allison.
"We just want to make music that communicates and spreads love,” Catherine adds, "and do what we need to do to get it out there."
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