Beachwood Sparks | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Los Angeles-based cosmic country-pop combo Beachwood Sparks were formed in mid-1998 by onetime Strictly Ballroom singer/guitarist Chris Gunst, slide guitarist/keyboardist Dave Scher, ex-Further bassist Brent Rademaker, and Lilys drummer Aaron Sperske. Inspired by the pioneering country-rock efforts of West Coast legends like the Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers, and Buffalo Springfield, the group issued acclaimed singles for Bomp! ("Desert Skies") and Sub Pop ("Midsummer Daydream") prior to the spring 2000 release of their superb self-titled debut LP. Their polished sophomore effort, Once We Were Trees, followed in fall 2001. A year later, the band released the EP Make the Cowboy Robots Cry. Around the same time, Beachwood Sparks went on unofficial hiatus, during which time the members pursued various side projects including Rademakers band the Tyde, which also included Scher and Gunst at times, Schers All Night Radio, and others. In 2012, Beachwood Sparks reunited for the full-length effort The Tarnished Gold. In 2013, the bands previously unreleased debut album, Desert Skies, from which their initial Bomp! singles were culled, received an official pressing on Alive Naturalsound Records. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 5 Title: Beachwood Sparks Released: 2000-03-21 Tracks: 14 Duration: 41:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Desert Skies (02:59) 2 Ballad of Never Rider (00:55) 3 Silver Morning After (02:18) 4 Singing Butterfly (01:18) 5 Sister Rose (02:56) 6 This Is What It Feels Like (01:26) 7 Canyon Ride (04:51) 8 The Reminder (02:36) 9 The Calming Seas (03:19) 10 New County (04:59) 11 Something I Dont Recognize (03:12) 12 Old Sea Miner (04:57) 13 See, Oh Three (04:33) 14 Sleeping Butterfly (01:15) |
| Beachwood Sparks : Allmusic album Review : The Beachwood Sparks are space cowboys -- although their self-titled Sub Pop debut most closely recalls the sound of vintage Laurel Canyon country-rock, its shimmering twang-pop melodies and gorgeous harmonies bask in a kind of interstellar psychedelia which lends the album an otherworldly glow. The hypnotically dreamlike instrumental passages which wind their way through luminous country-pop moments like "Sister Rose," "Something I Dont Recognize," and "Old Sea Miner" completely transform the albums chemical makeup. Rooted in the earth but reaching for the stars, the group realizes Gram Parsons "Cosmic American music" aesthetic in its truest sense. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 5 Title: Once We Were Trees Released: 2001-10-15 Tracks: 15 Duration: 51:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Germination (00:30) 2 Confusion Is Nothing New (03:04) 3 The Sun Surrounds Me (02:56) 4 You Take the Gold (02:09) 5 Hearts Mend (02:17) 6 Let It Run (06:38) 7 Old Manatee (03:34) 8 The Hustler (04:04) 9 Yer Selfish Ways (02:25) 10 By Your Side (04:58) 11 Close Your Eyes (03:32) 12 Banjo Press Conference (02:24) 13 Jugglers Revenge (02:50) 14 The Goodnight Whistle (04:44) 15 Once We Were Trees (05:08) |
| Once We Were Trees : Allmusic album Review : Throughout Once We Were Trees, the sophomore release from the Beachwood Sparks on Sub Pop Records, the SoCal indie cowboys deliver an album displaying astounding musical, songwriting, and repertory growth from their critically acclaimed self-titled debut. Previously, the Beachwood Sparks were labeled a retro extension of the late-60s country-rock icons Buffalo Springfield and the Flying Burrito Brothers. On Once We Were Trees, the Beachwood Sparks prove themselves as one of the most exciting subgenre leaders in the current indie rock world. The mid-tempo groove of "The Sun Surrounds Me" illustrates the songwriting growth the Sparks have achieved in the last three years, followed by the somewhat campy yet cool "You Take the Gold," which reverts to a simple carefree singalong melody and guitar-driven hook. One notable track is a revamped version of the adult contemporary Sade hit "By Your Side," which stands as the albums "must listen" track. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 5 Title: Make the Cowboy Robots Cry Released: 2002-05-21 Tracks: 6 Duration: 28:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Drinkswater (07:12) 2 Hibernation (03:27) 3 Ponce De Leon Blues (06:55) 4 Sing Your Thoughts (03:51) 5 Galapagos (04:16) 6 Ghost Dance 1492 (02:58) |
 | Album: 4 of 5 Title: The Tarnished Gold Released: 2012-06-26 Tracks: 13 Duration: 43:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Forget the Song (03:38) 2 Sparks Fly Again (04:37) 3 Mollusk (02:34) 4 Tarnished Gold (02:53) 5 Water From the Well (03:41) 6 Talk About Lonesome (03:08) 7 Leave That Light On (04:50) 8 Natures Light (04:41) 9 No queremos oro (02:04) 10 Earl Jean (03:00) 11 Alone Together (04:26) 12 The Orange Grass Special (02:05) 13 Goodbye (02:08) |
| The Tarnished Gold : Allmusic album Review : After an extended hiatus that found the individual members of Beachwood Sparks working on various side projects including forming such bands as the Tyde and All Night Radio, the California soft country outfit reunited for 2012s The Tarnished Gold. An elegiac, blissful, and melodic album, The Tarnished Gold finds the 70s-influenced bands sound maturing and deepening, while still retaining much of the melodic, hippie-dippy ramble-rock that makes them so charming. Produced by Thom Monahan -- who handled the bands 2001 outing Once We Were Trees -- the album features the original Beachwood lineup of singer/guitarist Chris Gunst, singer/bassist Brent Rademaker, singer/multi-instrumentalist Dave Scher, and drummer Aaron Sperske. Also lending a hand are the Tydes guitarist Ben Knight, onetime Ryan Adams & the Cardinals guitarist Neal Casal, pedal steel player Dan Horne, and even L.A. freak folk mastermind Ariel Pink. Although Beachwood Sparks have long drawn favorable comparisons to such mellow West Coast luminaries as Gram Parsons, Poco, and others, here the mix of layered harmonies and hushed, late-afternoon balladry also brings to mind works by such similarly inclined contemporaries as Teenage Fanclub and Goldrush. Which is to say that while the bands sound here is undeniably influenced by the great West Coast folk-pop of the 60s and 70s, there is something contemporary and utterly present about the album, too. Its as if on the bands previous albums, they merely evinced making soft country-rock appealing, whereas here, much like their unexpectedly inspired 2001 cover of Sades "By Your Side," given a second life on the 2010 soundtrack to Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, they make it universally relevant, melodically buoyant, and guttingly romantic. And thats still with all the bands influences intact. In fact, cuts like the rollicking "Sparks Fly Again" and the poignant "Natures Light" are organic and heartfelt moments that bring to mind the epic, cinematic moonshine of the Byrds "Chestnut Mare" and Stone Canyon Band-era Ricky Nelson. Elsewhere, tracks like the bittersweet leadoff "Forget the Song" and the lilting "Leave That Light On" are gorgeously realized, glowingly warm productions, with hummable melodies and literate, heartbreaking lyrics. Ultimately, The Tarnished Gold is not just a perfect album for late summer afternoons, but also Beachwood Sparks masterpiece. As Gunst sings at the start of the album, "Forget the song that Ive been singing/Lay down the weight that Ive been holding/Hope that spring melts the winter in my heart," The Tarnished Gold will melt whatever preconceptions you have about the band and leave you basking in the warmth of the summer of Beachwood Sparks career. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 5 Title: Desert Skies Released: 2013 Tracks: 12 Duration: 57:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Desert Skies (04:43) 2 Make It Together (04:19) 3 Time (04:47) 4 Watery Moonlight (03:26) 5 This Is What He Feels Like (04:41) 6 Sweet Julie Ann (06:11) 7 Canyon Ride (05:18) 8 Midsummer Daydream (07:37) 9 Charm (version 2) (04:26) 10 Desert Skies (CO₂ version) (04:26) 11 Make It Together (Warm Summer version) (04:25) 12 Time (first version) (02:54) |
| Desert Skies : Allmusic album Review : Prior to the release of Beachwood Sparks 2000 self-titled Sub Pop debut album, the California neo-hippie country-rock outfit had already produced an albums worth of material. Recorded in true DIY style in a small converted one-car garage known as the Space Shed, this would-be debut, titled here as Desert Skies, featured the bands earlier six member line-up. Centered around guitarist/vocalist Chris Gunst, bassist/vocalist Brent Rademaker, and keyboardist/lap steel player Dave Scher, this version of Beachwood Sparks also included guitarist/vocalist Josh Schwartz, keyboardist/lap steel player Dave Scher, drummer Tom Sanford, and percussionist Pete Kinne. Having formed in 1997, the six-piece Beachwood Sparks had grown from a fledgling noise-rock combo into a 60s and 70s country-rock inspired outfit whose combined love of such 80s Paisley Underground bands as the Rain Parade and the Dream Syndicate, as well as the innovative country-rock style of Gram Parsons and the Eagles, helped them build a loyal following in the Los Angeles-area during the late 90s. Spurred by an offer to record a single for Bomp!, Beachwood Sparks embarked on these recordings with an eye to self-releasing the album. Ultimately, only "Desert Skies," and "Make it Together," ended up as a Bomp! single with the rest of the tracks abandoned as the band lost interest, changed members and evolved into the four-piece that recorded 2000s Beachwood Sparks, 2001s Once We Were Trees, 2002s Make the Cowboy Robots Cry and the bands 2012 reunion album The Tarnished Gold. While the band always evinced a love of groovy, twangy 70s country rock, here they strike balance between their earlier indie-rock influences and bourgeoning country explorations. Even a song like the opening title-track cut, which also opens the bands Sub Pop debut, reveals a warmer, more fluid interpretation here that has more in common with bands like Big Star and Teenage Fanclub. Elsewhere, the epic "Sweet Julie Ann," with its layered guitar atmospherics ala the Jesus and Mary Chain, is a long lost Beachwood Sparks classic and its a wonder the band never revisited it on later records. In some ways, as evidenced by mellow vibe of 2012s The Tarnished Gold, the band was on a circular journey back to this commingling of dream pop and country. Its a revelation to hear just how fertile the bands songwriting and overall sound was during these early days. | ||