RIYL: Wolfmother, The Deadly Syndrome, The Kooks, The Honeydrips
Although they are often tagged with the moniker “psychedelic rock”, Birds of Avalon can play convincingly straight when they need to. The group formed back in 2005 after core members Cheetie Kumar and Paul Siler left their former outfit Cherry Valence, got married, and had a brand new baby band. With vocalist Craig Tilley they released the debut LP Bazaar Bazaar in 2007 and quickly started netting fans in the local Raleigh, NC music scene.
The band toured extensively to support Bazaar Bazaar and eventually landed some big time gigs opening for acts such as The Flaming Lips and The Raconteurs, and playing at the SXSW music festival in Austin. In late 2007, a collaboration with famed producer Mitch Easter led to an interesting experimental 6-song EP titled Outer Upper Inner. Released in 2008, the album was conceived as a throwback to late 60’s rock and pared down the excesses of 21st century overdubs with the use of classic recording equipment (4-track 1/2 machines) and no computers.
It’s a laudable experiment for sure, and the album delivers a refreshingly straightforward take on rock songwriting, even if the songs themselves can be hit and miss. The opener, “Measure of the Same” is a solid no-frills rocker that satisfies without any of the eccentricity listeners have come to expect from The Birds; call it Led Zeppelin-lite. Next up, “Shakey Tiger” throws in more flourishes, with heavily reverbed guitar evoking early records from The Who.
“Earthbound” and “Hazy 98” are mostly forgettable offers, but all is redeemed by the album closer “Keep it Together, Thackery”, an engrossing and utterly unique piece of swampy rock that finds Tilley weaving an interesting narrative of a seafarer longing to return to his lost love. Basic songwriting elements combine here to create something truly rare- a throwback that manages to sound new and relevant at the same time.
While their foray into the past certainly yielded some striking results, Birds of Avalon is at its heart a band for the here and now. They quickly followed Outer Upper Inner with the more mainstream sounds of 2009’s Uncanny Valley and released their fourth LP Birds of Avalon earlier this year.
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More Information
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http://www.myspace.com/birdsofavalon
http://www.volcoment.com
