Beachwood Sparks
Once We Were Trees (Sub Pop)
by Brian Varney
Now, I may be going out on a limb here, but I’m guessing these four youngsters have admired a post-Gram Parsons Byrds album or two, say Dr. Byrds and Mr. Hyde and (Untitled). With all of the (deserved) praise these No Depression (the “movement,” not the mag) folks have heaped upon Sweetheart of the Rodeo and the Gram Parsons solo LPs, it would seem folks forgot how much country was in post-Sweetheart Byrds. Well, these guys haven’t forgotten. Think “Chestnut Mare” or “The Ballad of Easy Rider” rather than “You Ain’t Going Nowhere.” The country thing is here, no question, but there are also ’60s production techniques (plenty of echo, flanged drumbeats, panning, etc.) and layers of steel guitar and organ that marked late-period Byrds and which make this more than merely a country-rock rehash. Yeah, it does kinda make it a Byrds rehash, but at least that hasn’t been done to death (yet).
As I sit and write, I can see out the window. The sky is overcast and about to rain, and the wind is gusting, casting bunches of brown leaves over the still-green grass. It’s just this sort of setting that’s perfect for this album.
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