Taylor Pearlstein - “Back Away”

Photo by Ian Bishop

Slip into the emotional depths of Brooklyn-based songstress Taylor Pearlstein and her latest stripped-back release, “Back Away.”

Armed with little else than an acoustic guitar and her raw emotion, Pearlstein takes listeners on a lo-fi journey through isolation. “Back Away” conjures the best parts of the indie folk genre, utilizing minimal sounds to demonstrate an intimate and vulnerable soundscape. And other than the fine sheen of reverb painted across the track, it is very easy to imagine Pearlstein pouring this one out for you, like a heart-rending conversation in some quiet corner of the universe.

Pearlstein’s vocal is one of great enchantment, reminiscent of both Weyes Blood and Phoebe Bridgers, completely raw as she delivers unfeigned lines of lyrics to your ears. Upon the arrival of the ghostly electric guitar, the atmosphere expands to consume every last remaining inch of available sonic space. It is mesmerizing and otherworldly and we are quite pleased that it hasn’t been doused in any sort of commercial production, as that would have simply squashed the emotional bond between Pearlstein and her listeners.

As “Back Away” continues, it magnificently and naturally crescendoes, with some additional layers of vocals and moments of synthy strings. The climax is imbued with a glorious wailing of electric guitar, the sonic equivalent of the waves of frustration and helplessness that attempt to consume each of us in our lonely existence. They subside, of course, just as every storm does, leaving us in a calm and introspective state, and will have you returning to the play button as soon as it ends.

-HD