Beachwood Sparks - Beachwood Sparks
by Darrell Angus
published: 17 / 12 / 2001
Label:
Sub Pop
Format: CD
intro
Blazing trails in indie music can be hard these days. Everyone is either striving for originality or looking to the past for inspiration. Beachwood Sparks have managed to do both. The Byrds, Gram
Blazing trails in indie music can be hard these days. Everyone is either striving for originality or looking to the past for inspiration. Beachwood Sparks have managed to do both. The Byrds, Gram Parsons, and the Grateful Dead are all good reference points for the uninitiated and the Beachwood lads have managed to produce an album of songs which clearly draw inspiration from the late 60's Southern California sound. Acoustic guitar and pedal steel meld with B3 organ and harmonica to create a mesh of pop, psychedelia, and countrifried sounds. The Buffalo Springfield like opener "Desert Skies" fuses country pop and folk together to a glorious end. Guitarist/vocalist Chris Gunst's voice is high and plaintive and Dylanesque at times. "Sister Rose", with its noodling guitar lines, seems lifted right out of Jerry Garcias brain(C'mon Deadheads, thats in a jar somewhere, right?). Beachwoods songwriting skills are evident on standouts like "Canyon Ride" with its lonesome piano, and "The Calming Seas" with its mournful harmonica wails. With half of 2000 over already, Beachwood Sparks is the standout. Refreshing and shimmering, this record will be played for years to come.
Track Listing:-
1 Desert Skies2 Ballad Of Never Rider
3 Silver Morning After
4 Singing Butterfly
5 Sister Rose
6 This Is What I Feel Like
7 Canyon Ride
8 The Reminder
9 The Calming Seas
10 New County
11 Something I Don't Recognise
12 Old Sea Miner
13 See, Oh Three
14 Sleeping Butterfly
Label Links:-
https://www.subpop.com/https://www.facebook.com/subpoprecords
https://plus.google.com/+subpop
https://twitter.com/subpop
http://subpop.tumblr.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/subpoprecords
favourite album |
|
Desert Skies (2014) |
|
| Malcolm Carter examines 60's-influenced country/psychedelic band Beachwood Sparks long lost album 'Desert Skies', which recorded in 1997, has only been released now |
most viewed articles
current edition
Peter Doherty - Blackheath Halls, Blackheath and Palace Halls, Watford, 18/3/2025 and 21/3/2025Armory Show - Interview with Richard Jobson
Liz Mitchell - Interview
Lauren Mayberry - Photoscapes
Deb Googe and Cara Tivey - Interview
Max Bianco and the BlueHearts - Troubadour, London, 29/3/2025
Garfunkel and Garfunkel Jr. - Interview
Maarten Schiethart - Vinyl Stories
Clive Langer - Interview
Sukie Smith - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Davey Woodward - Mumbo in the JumboNigel Stonier - Wolf Notes
Wings - Venus and Mars
Kate Daisy Grant and Nick Pynn - Songs For The Trees
Only Child - Holy Ghosts
Neil Campbell - The Turnaround
Philip Jeays - Victoria
Darkness - Dreams On Toast
Suzanne Vega - Flying With Angels
Charles Ellsworth - Cosmic Cannon Fodder
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart