See the Band Perry Test New Pop-Leaning Tunes on the Road
With a summer’s worth of tour dates ahead of them, the Band Perry are giving fans a sneak peak of their highly anticipated third album, which was largely crafted before the dissolution of their six-year deal with Big Machine Records.
The trio parted ways with the Nashville label in May, leaving after the release of their left-of-center “Live Forever” — a slick, rafter-reaching pop song that stalled on the charts, despite a widespread marketing campaign that rebranded the country stars as hip, young tastemakers in neon-colored clothing — and the new sound it introduced. Their exit was cordial, with Big Machine CEO Scott Borchetta thanking the group for “a great run” in a tweet. Two months later, the Band Perry bounced back with a new deal, partnering with Universal Music Group and Interscope Records for the still-unscheduled release of their new record.
An L.A.-based label with a large roster of pop and hip-hop acts, Interscope Records looks like an appropriate home for the Band Perry — assuming, of course, that the rest of the tentatively-titled Heart + Beat follows the same course as “Live Forever.” A new song, “Stay in the Dark,” appears to confirm the band’s new direction, adding a bright splash of Mariah Carey-inspired pop to the group’s summertime setlist. Above, the Perrys perform the song at the Charlotte Motor Speedway last month, trading the mandolins and acoustic guitars that filled earlier hits like “If I Die Young” for gang vocals and bright piano riffs. Another newbie, “Best One Yet,” doubles down on their pop makeover with hip-hop bass lines and a “hey hey” vocal hooks. With both songs now making regular appearances in the band’s summer shows, Heart + Beat is shaping up to be as proud and poppy as its kickoff single.