If It's Too Loud...

We've been fans of Chris Pierce for a while now, but his latest single is Pierce reaching for a next level. Pierce has always injected soul into his version of folk and blues, but never quite like he has with "Meet Me at the Bottom." This song is just pure soul along the lines of Marvin Gaye and Otis Reading. It's a huge, soaring song that showcases Pierce's vocals in a way they've never been before. Considering "Meet Me at the Bottom" is a song about how divided we are as a nation and is a plea for unity, it's surprisingly uplifting. If you can't get into this song, you may not have a pulse, and you certainly don't have a soul. Chris Pierce says of his new single: “We all have different circumstances that lead to struggle in life. If we can lay our fear and divisiveness down, we may find a venerable place at the bottom to rise together. The bottom can be a place of common ground and respect that each other’s struggles, hopes, and frustra...

Photo by Mathieu Bitton Released just before the one hundred and second anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre which saw the affluent black neighborhoods of Tulsa bombed and burned by the white population, Chris Pierce has released a new song about the dark historical event. "Tulsa Town" is a haunting waltz that is mostly folk, but also combines elements of jazz. It's an important song that reminds us of one of the darkest and forgotten elements of American history. Pierce hits the perfect tone for a song of this nature. It's respectful and reverent while still being a gorgeous song that can suck you in even if you're not paying attention to the lyrics. Backing vocals and strings are used expertly, giving the song a truly haunting feeling. You can watch the lyric video for "Tulsa Town" below. Let All Who Will is due out September 1 via Friends at Work/Downtown Distribution. For more on Chris Pierce, check out the artist's website .

Photo by Mathieu Bitton We've gotten used to Chris Pierce releasing traditional-ish folk music, both as a solo artist and with War & Pierce, his collaboration with Sunny War. On his latest single, he goes full on electric blues. "45 Jukebox" is an electric guitar driven traditional blues song. It's an upbeat song about a love of vinyl showing that Pierce can have fun with his music. Plus, Pierce injects a little bit of soul with his vocals, making this quite a change from what we've heard from him in the past.  In the YouTube post for the video, Chris Pierce says of his new single: "A traditional 45 Jukebox is a coin-operated phonograph with an illuminated cabinet, having a variety of records that can be selected by the drop of a dime and the push of a button. This song examines the journey as a songwriter and the internal process of the spirit for the songs to come to surface. It’s about the rigorous and demanding road of putting the truth on the line an...

Musically, the latest single from the duo of War & Pierce is one of the most pleasant singles you've heard in a while. "Mercy" is a smooth folk and soul song that features Sunny War and Chris Pierce at their absolute best. It's a beautifully chill track that has a little intensity underlying the song. It's reminding me quite a bit of Marvin Gaye. Also, like Gaye's best work, the smoothness and sonic appeal of the song is in stark contrast to the message within the lyrics. It's a song about police brutality where the duo pleads about just wanting some mercy. Chris Pierce explains the message behind the song: “Our new single ‘Mercy’ deals with the constant resilience required by people of color in the United States and beyond. It recollects real-life situations while demonstrating that in life and death situations there remains no assurance that mercy will be shown or even considered on those targeted. It challenges those who target human beings based on...

We discovered Chris Pierce a short time ago as half of War & Pierce with Sunny War. He recently released a solo single, and if you've been a fan of War & Pierce, you're going to love his solo work. "American Silence" hearkens back to the classic protest folk of Richie Havens and Bob Dylan. It's impossibly captivating, with Pierce's music and voice sucking you in even if you don't pay attention to the lyrics. But once you take the time to pay attention to the lyrics, "American Silence" is one of the most powerful songs of 2020. You can watch the video for "American Silence" below. The new full length album from Chris Pierce will be released in 2021. In true 2020 fashion, the album was recorded at Boulevard Recording in Hollywood, CA with only studio engineer/owner Clay Blair in a socially distanced fashion. Chris Pierce is the only person you hear on the album, including all instruments and choir vocals. For more on Chris Pierce,...

Photo by Mushka Lightstone War & Pierce is the collaboration of Los Angeles musicians Sunny War and Chris Pierce. The project combines all the styles both artists have played in: roots, soul, blues, and the underground punk scene. "Amen" was written in 2017 after the car attack in Charlottesville, where a car drove into a crowd protesting white supremacy, killing Heather Heyer and injuring nineteen others. The opening line of  “Lost children, filled with hate. Along the path did they lose their way" sets the tone for the song, which is filled with soul and love despite the horrific inspiration. You can watch the video for "Amen" below. For more information on War & Pierce, check out their website .