Everything Pearl & the Oysters have released since their 2018 debut Canned Music has been delightful and that remains the case on their album from 2026, Monkey Mind. Their brand of pop music — which mashes up soft rock, space age pop, ye-ye, city pop, and cocktail jazz — remains as fresh as ever, and the duo of Joachim Polack and Juliette Davis took extra pains to keep it that way. They recorded quickly with producer Jonathan Rado, putting the music directly on tape and keeping the overdubs to a minimum.
One listening would never know as it sounds as blissfully smooth as ever, the electric pianos, flutes, harmonies, and gentle vibes coming together like a sonic hug. The band duo needed a real one during the making of the album as they…