In the first edition of the new Essentials series, Radio.com goes behind the scenes with The Band Perry, three siblings from Mississippi who have just released their second album together, Pioneer.
Pioneer is a strong, confident move forward for the trio, mixing neo-traditional acoustic instrumentation and tinges of Southern Gothic heritage with a big, bold, radio-friendly sound that makes plentiful use of electric guitars.
As Kimberly Perry tells Radio.com, the bandmembers regularly feel that “the boldest forward is the right step forward.” And so on Pioneer, that boldness includes the instrumentation. “One thing that’s distinct from the first record,” Kimberly continues, “is we have a lot more electric guitars” on Pioneer.
In our Essentials profile, the Perry siblings talk about the process for recording Pioneer, which included working first on songwriting and song selection with Rick Rubin in L.A., and then turning back to Nashville to record and complete the album with producer Dann Huff.
“But both halves of that, the Rubin half and the Huff half, made this album happens,” says Kimberly.
