It’s said that absence makes the heart grow fonder, but twelve years seems like a lifetime in the music industry. Yet fans waited with bated breath for the fire of Beachwood Sparks to be rekindled. With the release of Across the River of Stars, the long wait is finally over. The pieces that made the band unique are still on display, from the Byrds-ian guitar vibe to the west coast Burritos and Gram Parsons countrified sounds, they remain relevant even as the clang of Father Time affects so many other country contemporaries.
While Josh Schwartz may have succumbed to ALS back in 2017, the rest of the core, Brent Rademaker, Christopher Gunst and “Farmer” Dave Scher still have the twang-pop melodies and harmonies running through their veins. One need look no further than ‘My Love My Love (Meet the Love Puppets)’ for proof. Three-part harmonies take to the fore while a cosmic guitar solo greets listeners. The solo slashes like a late 60s Jorma Kaukonen, before changing to a more stately pace as the lyrics come in halfway through the tune.
Shifting gears, ‘Torn In Two’ has elements of Zuma-period Neil Young in its veins. The production prowess of The Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson serves the band well as they straddle textures and time periods from the past, while never making anything sound dated or decrepit. They may play with the feel of days gone by, yet everything is still up to date. Ghosts of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young haunt the harmonies of ‘Falling Forever’ (never a bad thing). They sing with a grace as they make clear, “It feels like I’ve been falling forever/ And the world keeps spinning ‘round/ Whatever comes my way.” Rather than sounding depressing, the song feels like a simple statement of reality that can’t be ignored.
From lamenting our modern age to taking swipes at the notion of ‘Cosmic Country’ in the 21st century, Beechwood Sparks lyrics rarely miss their mark and their harmonies are second to none. There seems to be a joy in the way they play together even if it isn’t as often as many might like. None of their musical missives feels forced, there is still a sense of relevance to their music. Across the River of Stars presents a band that still seems relevant, their brand of rhythm and rock won’t go out of style anytime soon.
