Josh T. Pearson has previously mystified (and frightened) us, but also left us in awe of his songwriting and evocative live performances.  His last album, The Last of the Country Gentlemen, was one of our favorites of 2011.  Turns out he’s got all that AND deadpan humor in spades.  Check out his MC-like performance for Sounds from a Room on their boat on the Thames in London.  The Texan’s night-time performance aboard the boat weaves together new recordings, (unintentionally) hilarious YouTube videos, and “300 year-old” gospel covers, all the while interspersed with Pearson’s hilarity (check “Katy, if you’re out there, give me a call” at 21:02).  The meshing of his gospel cover tracks (recorded the prior night) with the nighttime film of London is eerily intriguing at times, and the swerve between humor and the seriousness and sonorities of the songs can be jarring.  But ultimately the covers, featuring his adept guitar-playing and his own multi-tracked harmonies, are things of beauty.  Praise be.  If the video below doesn’t run for ya, go HERE and let ‘er rip.

Josh T Pearson plays Sounds from a Room from Artangel on Vimeo.