Beachwood Sparks : Across the River of Stars
You’d be forgiven for letting Beachwood Sparks slip from your memory. Prior to this year, the band had been around for almost three decades with only four albums and an EP to show for it. In its own way, each release demonstrated a commitment to staying out of time. These mellow, California-based alt-country janglers wear their influences on their sleeves—Gram Parsons and The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, a touch of West Coast psychedelia—without making any attempt to slot their music into a 21st century context.
Across the River of Stars, the band’s fifth LP, is no exception. It’s a slight, unpretentious serving of Americana with a rainbow twist—released without fanfare and, at 28 minutes, even shorter than their last EP, Make the Robots Cry. Core members Chris Gunst, Brent Rademaker and Dave Scher don’t reinvent the wheel here, nor do they go for the jugular. They paint with a limited palette, and they know the colors well. But this time, the result is washed out.
Granted, 2012’s The Tarnished Gold, far and away their best work, was a tough act to follow. That record sounded hushed, straight-laced, polished to a sheen and closer to pure country than anything that came before. This was a risky approach that could have kneecapped the album; instead, it elevated it to the status of an indie rock gem, studded as it was with sturdy songs and earworm melodies. Across the River of Stars is a return to the looser sound of the band’s early records. Don’t get me wrong—these songs are still layered and lush, but none of them feel overthought. Despite the short runtime, Beachwood Sparks leaves room for some unexpected ear candy. The rollicking opening bars and subsequent slowdown to half time on opener “My Love, My Love” recalls the spontaneity of the band’s debut Desert Skies LP back in 1997. Shades of Wayne Coyne lurk in the flat, pained vocals in the chorus of “Torn In Two.” And the most interesting song here, “Gentle Samurai,” brings to mind a retro-futuristic fairground.
The production sounds great throughout—all praise is due to Chris Robinson (Black Crowes) for his contributions. But there’s simply not enough heft to carry a whole record. “Falling Forever,” the closest thing here to a pop single, is instrumentally rich enough to envelop you, but not catchy enough to burrow into your head the way a good pop song should. And the last three songs, none of which crack the three-minute mark, feel stuck in the ideas stage.
Credit where it’s due: Beachwood Sparks are no amateurs. This is a tender record, confidently uneven, that doesn’t wear out its welcome. But 12 years is a long time, and listening to Across the River of Stars, you find yourself wishing for a more substantive statement.
Label: Curation
Year: 2024
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