Pearl, an emerging surfer girl rockstar, recently released her single ‘I Like You But’ on October 11th to the anticipation of her ever-growing fanbase. ‘I Like You But’ is a song of frustration and pain, when you know someone loves you and they’re a good guy, yet you can’t seem to love them back. You may strongly like all of their beautiful qualities and how they romanticise your very existence like you’re the leading lady in a John Hughes movie, but you know you will never feel the same way. You long for more excitement, a life straight out of an 80’s rock power ballad, and he’s just a safe you can’t bring yourself to settle for as you know it will be better for the both of you in the long run.
The single opens with an angsty guitar before a steady drumbeat and relentless bass is added. Pearl is a resurgence of the rock music that’s been lost too the 70’s and 80’s, with her gravelly voice that is somewhere in between Stevie Nicks and Joan Jett, she’s a true powerhouse. Her deep vocals are highlighted in the pre-chorus when she sings, ‘you looking at me like I’m an angel. I’m no angel.’ This moment conveys when you feel that you don’t deserve the positive attention someone is showing you with as you believe you’re no more special than anyone else. Yet he’s looking at you like you fell from heaven, and you can’t seem to reciprocate his feelings. ‘I Like You But’ is an extremely interesting song as it presents when you’re the heartbreaker even though you really can’t help it, which is a theme that is rarely explored. Pearl clearly writes songs that don’t hide from the ugly truth, something listeners crave in a world so full of the manufactured mainstream.
It’s in the chorus when the song fully bursts open, with a shredding guitar and a pounding drumbeat bringing a heightened emotion to Pearl’s already heartbreaking lyrics. These lyrics being, ‘I don’t know why I can’t fall in love with you. I’d like to but I can’t. I’d like to I like you but.’ This moment presents the guilt that comes with breaking hearts when you wish they could be spared. However, you don’t want to settle with someone who is only comfortable you want a love that gives you the energy to scream in the rain.
The whole song is laced with satisfying guitar riffs, but the standout of the single is the killer guitar solo acting as the bridge. Fully immersing listeners in Pearl’s frustration, it mirrors all the emotions the lyrics provoke perfectly, taking listeners on a full journey.
So put on some big sunglasses, cheater print and a leather jacket to fully dive into the addictive world of Pearl with her new single ‘I Like You But’. Also be sure to listen to the demo version which is just as amazing and watch the accompanying music video.
Bacchanalia Magazine 
Leave a comment