published: 10 /
4 /
2013
Label:
Loose Music
Format: CD
Excellent debut album from London-based, but Los Angeles-formed folk act Treetop Flyers, which follows four years on from their first EP
Review
Back in 2009 the Treetop Flyers produced their 'To Bury The Past' EP – a wonderful set of folk-rock tunes that should easily have seen them lumped in the rapid expansion of that genre at the tail end of the last decade and propelled them up the billings at venues along with the various country/folk influenced musicians who appeared around the same time.
Instead they've taken four years to put out 'The Mountain Moves', and relocated from London to Los Angeles to record it. The American connection makes immediate sense upon listening. Treetop Flyers have evolved a distinctly traditional Americana rock feel, and hark back to many of the classic California rock bands whose retro influences this album wears on its sleeve in the vocal harmonies and guitar licks of tracks like 'Houses are Burning' and 'Postcards'.
Numerous choruses voicing sentiments dangerously close to platitudes – such as “trust is love, and love is trust” from 'Is It All Worth It?', one of two songs to make the transition from their debut EP to this album – may put off some listeners. And much of the music here does feel immediately familiar from many other sources. But 'The Mountain Moves' is actually more spare than slight, and reveals itself as closer to classic than derivative. Its slimmed down harmonies and detailed instrumentation makes this a sweet, relaxing pleasure.
This album may be one of the most quietly uplifting things you hear all year, and we should give thanks that the Treetop Flyers have brought back at least some of that LA sunshine to British shores. And while it was worth waiting for, this reviewer certainly hopes it doesn't take them four years to produce their next album.
Track Listing:-
1
Things Will Change
2
Houses Are Burning
3
Waiting On You
4
Rose Is in the Yard
5
She's Gotta Run
6
Haunted House
7
Postcards
8
Making Time
9
Picture Show
10
Storm Will Pass
11
Is It All Worth It
Band Links:-
http://treetopflyers.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/TreetopFlyers
https://twitter.com/treetopflyers
http://www.last.fm/music/Treetop+Flyer
http://www.songkick.com/artists/237675
https://www.youtube.com/user/TreetopFl
Label Links:-
http://loosemusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/loosemusic
https://twitter.com/looseMusic
http://www.last.fm/user/Loose_Music
https://www.youtube.com/loosemusic
https://instagram.com/loose_music/