Q&A: Peach & Quiet bring a Pender Island vibe to new album

The Athens sound, Manchester’s dance-happy Madchester scene and Chicago’s driving boogie blues. Where you hang your hat has a huge impact on how you hear and what you play.

For Pender Island-based folk duo Peach & Quiet, verdant Southern Gulf Island log cabin life inspired a folky style that is both laid-back and lyrically direct. The closest comparison for the duo’s sound would be the Laurel Canyon hub that ruled Los Angeles in the 1970s, but given a more Northern bent.

Musicians Peach (Jonny Miller) and Quiet (Heather Read) first came together in 2019. Their 2020 indie debut, Just Beyond the Shine gained a quick following among North American folk and roots music reviewers. The album eventually even was named, including a Record of the Week by BBC Scotland.

Now the group is back to build on that buzz with the 12 tune collection titled Beautiful Thing.

Advanced with singles such as Horse & Saddle, the record was produced by Nashville-based, multiple Juno award-winning producer/guitarist Steve Dawson with an A-list crew of session musicians including bassist Jeremy Holmes, drummer Gary Craig and keyboardist Chris Gestrin.