There’s something both immediate and timeless about Roland Pearsall’s album Sell Your Soul … Immediate standouts are the title song … [which] brings to mind British Invasion pep … [and the] wit of overlooked Brit troubadour John Wesley Harding … Likewise, the second track [“You Won’t Be Seen”] has vaguely menacing lyrics and buzzy soundscape of mid-sixties rockers The Animals. Both songs are excellent….
Let’s take a moment to appreciate Pearsall’s voice. He has a strong baritone capable of soaring to a passionate wail that can raise the dead on the track “In the Night.” I swear this sinister gem was ripped directly from the sixties and the original artist murdered and dumped in a gully never to be seen again. It oozes with character and is quite possibly my favorite song on the album. When he lets it rip, holy shit, he lets it rip. Take my word and play this one loud and frighten the neighbors.
Nathan Crowder, Tales From the Ragged Edge
His influences combine elements of not only the music of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, but also contemporary talents such as Ben Harper and the Black Keys. The songs on Sell Your Soul reflect this diversity, ranging from the garage-rocking punch of “Next To You” and the punk-blues of “Riding On,” to the psychedelic-vibes of “In The Night” and the lighter, acoustic-folk of “The Way That I’ve Come.”
Roland’s versatility shines through clearly, as he successfully takes all these aforementioned influences and seemingly effortlessly blends them into his own unique treatment.… A great accomplishment….
Joe Milliken – Standing Room Only
Roland has a lot of strengths. His music bespeaks influences from the sixties … He also has a flair for writing lyrics.
The title song, “Sell Your Soul” has a lot of energy and he has a good voice. The song is an insightful critique about life with our young hero trying to figure out a career and outmaneuver the sharks … “Aerosol Can” is one of the best songs of the collection. It is clever and kooky, with imaginative lyrics. It reminds me of the B52’s “Rock Lobster”….
Kimmy Sophia Brown – The Noise, The Significato Journal
Pearsall plays clean & simple track after track. Album highlights: the rowdy “Riding On,” the swampy “Fog Country,” the postpunk “Next to You,” and the droll “Aerosol Can.”
Douglas Sloan, Metronome Magazine
Roland Pearsall is a talented singer songwriter that has performed on my Tufts University radio program Acoustic Ceiling…. As a live performer Pearsall delivers. Although Pearsall is fond of combining the stylings of Chuck Berry’s beat to Bob Dylan’s poetry, he’s not a retro act. Pearsall is looking forward and plays with a modern edge.
Vin Maganzini, Acoustic Ceiling, WMFO 91.5 FM