Album Review: Adam Torres, Pearls To Swine

Adam Torres released his debut album Rostra Nova independently in 2006; until its re-release last year, it was something of a well-guarded secret in his Ohio hometown. Sophomore effort Pearls To Swine is, therefore, the first real glimpse of new material in over ten years, but his smooth return doesn’t disappoint. This album is every bit as heartfelt as the last.

In his gentle falsetto, Torres explores landscapes – both physical and emotional – and sums up the human condition in a few simple and unassuming words. Soulful guitar solos, delicate violin accompaniments and various eerie percussive undertones combine to make this the perfect indie lullaby to wind down to after a long day at the office.

“Watching the days just wash away/ Wish I could find a way to make them stay,” he sings on ‘Morning Rain’, neatly summing up the unperturbed, lighthearted tone of the record. The strings on ‘Outlands’ and ‘High Lonesome’ raise proceedings beyond the usual one-man-and-a-guitar fare, and the opening track ‘Juniper Arms’ sums up the album’s slow, breezy texture from the outset. Deserving of a space on the shelf alongside the likes of Bon Iver and James Vincent McMorrow, Pearls To Swine sounds like the soundtrack to a great dream you wouldn’t want to wake up from.