Beachwood Sparks: Once We Were Trees

Beachwood Sparks: Once We Were Trees

2001

Sub Pop Records

Format I Own it on: Compact Disc

Track Listing: 1. Germination  2. Confusion Is Nothing New  3. The Sun Surrounds Me  4. You Take the Gold  5. Hearts Mend  6. Let It Run  7. Old Manatee  8. The Hustler  9. Yer Selfish Ways  10. By Your Side  11. Close Your Eyes  12. Banjo Press Conference  13. Jugglers' Revenge  14. The Good Night Whistle  15. Once We Were Trees


The second full-length album by Beachwood Sparks, released in 2001. Even though it was released a scant one year after their debut, this album sounds more blissful and serene than its predecessor...

This is a really unpopular opinion, but I actually think I like this one a little more than the first album...I'll agree it's definitely not as immediately striking  but a  listen or two reveals a lot of nice stuff here...It's all hazy, psychedelic country rock, full of slow motion harmonica and sleepy steel guitar... The tempo doesn't really exceed languorous (except on maybe "You Take the Gold" which sounds like speed metal compared to other songs), which on the surface may sound like a knock but it really gives the record an incredibly even feel...Although a couple of highlights do stick out...

I actually think "Banjo Press Conference" stands tall among the album's other tracks...It's one of the dreamiest things ever put to tape...That steel guitar sounds like the audio approximation of a sweet dream..."Sun Surrounds Me" succeeds in beating the Byrds at their own cosmic cowboy game, and I'm not a Sade fan but their cover of "By Your Side" almost makes me reconsider my stance...

I used to play this album religiously back in the day...and it's managed to remain one of my go-to records whenever I'm in the mood to listen to country music but have too much self-respect to listen to Hank Williams Jr.

 (♫ Hank, whyyyyyy caint you reeaaad? ♫ )

I wouldn't recommend this  for long car rides or anything...unless you enjoy falling asleep and plowing into oncoming traffic...but it's an excellent listen for when you're kicking back on a nice quiet night with a beer...Oh yea...what kind of beer should you drink when you're playing this?

 This has ironic PBR written all over it...

So crack open your ironic PBR, sit back, relax and listen to "Banjo Press Conference" by Beachwood Sparks...Enjoy...