Artist: Treetop Flyers
Album: The Mountain Moves
Bitrate: 254kbps avg
Quality: EAC Secure Mode / LAME 3.98.4 / -V0 / 44.100Khz
Label: Loose Music
Genre: Rock
Size: 89.81 megs
PlayTime: 0h 47min 11sec total
Rip Date: 2013-04-26
Store Date: 2013-04-29
Track List:
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01. Things Will Change 4:03
02. Houses Are Burning 3:40
03. Waiting On You 4:03
04. Rose Is In The Yard 4:32
05. She's Gotta Run 2:57
06. Haunted House 6:52
07. Postcards 3:49
08. Making Time 3:56
09. Picture Show 3:10
10. Storm Will Pass 6:05
11. Is It All Worth It 4:04
Release Notes:
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With their quintessential vintage West Coast sound, itÆs fitting that Treetop
Flyers laid down their outstanding country soul debut in the canyons of Southern
California. Though based in London, the British five-piece û Reid Morrison
(vocals/guitars), Sam Beer (guitar/vocals), Laurie Sherman (guitar), Matthew
Starritt (bass/vocals) and the bandÆs lone American Tomer Danan (drums/vocals) û
swapped urban England for the picturesque beaches and rolling hills of Malibu in
order to record the classic sounding æThe Mountain MovesÆ.
ôOur music makes sense there,ö explains Sam. Yet æThe Mountain MovesÆ hits home
far beyond the reaches of Los Angeles. A record of hope, honesty and huge
choruses, its universally reaching songs are strewn with sunshine-infused
four-part harmonies, propelled by an irrefutable open-highway groove. Paying
their dues to everyone from The Band and Neil Young by way of Little Feat and
Fleetwood Mac, there are also gracious nods towards the more contemporary likes
of My Morning Jacket, The Coral and Jonathan Wilson wrapped up in these 11
time-travelling tracks.
Sonically, æThe Mountain MovesÆ might be easy-going, but the process behind it
wasnÆt quite so smooth. Heading to California after a successful stint of shows
at SXSW in March 2012, a hurricane alert and a harrowing airplane ride meant the
band ended up stranded on the outskirts of Denver. When they finally arrived in
LA, producer Noah Georgeson (Devendra Banhart, Joanna Newsom, Bert Jansch)
hadnÆt quite finished work on BanhartÆs latest album, meaning Treetop Flyers had
two weeks to kill.
They spent their fortnight of freedom roadtripping to Joshua Tree, making a Gram
Parsons pilgrimage to Cap Rock and also stopping at Pappy and Harriets, a
far-flung Mojave favourite of Queens of the Stone Age, Giant Sand and Arctic
Monkeys. They rocked up to the legendary roadhouseÆs famous open mic night in
their best cowboy threads to play an uncommonly lengthy set.
The band eventually got to work at Zuma Sound, a brand new studio which had
originally been built for Rick Rubin. However, not long into the album sessions,
eviction notices started appearing on the door. ôWe kept on thinking, are we
gonna be here next week? WeÆve got ten more tracks to do...ö, says Sam.
When they arrived back home, a summer of high-profile festival slots awaited
them. They played under Van Morrison at Green Man, and shared a stage with Bob
Dylan for the second time at The Hop Farm, after opening up for him at LondonÆs
Feis in 2011.
Ostensibly named after the Stephen StillsÆ song æTreetop FlyerÆ, the bandÆs name
also references the similarly titled low altitude American pilots who fought in
Vietnam. ôWhen the war was over they were forgotten about and came back to a
country that had nothing for them. So they formed their own club, did work crop
dusting and banded together,ö explains Sam. ôI felt that that represented us a
bit.ö Before Treetop Flyers got together in 2009, all five band members were
entrenched in the West London scene, gigging locally in different acts, watching
the likes of Adele, Florence Welch, Laura Marling, Mumford and Sons, Noah and
the Whale and Jamie T rocket to the top of the charts. ôWe all met on the
periphery of that scene,ö says Sam.
Treetop Flyers became a serious proposition not long after they booked a
rehearsal room in Shepherds Bush for a no-pressure jam session. From then on the
bandÆs fate as a dreamy, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young style Americana act was
sealed. Sam and Reid went on to write the bandÆs first song, the delicate
comedown country of æIs It All Worth ItÆ, together in an empty room in SamÆs
house. ôIt was a moment where you realise that we can be a band that greater
than the sum of their parts, and make a noise that none of us can predict,ö he
says of the Simon & Garfunkel referencing number. ôWe can all hope for it but
none of us can do it alone.ö
In order to get gigs, the band recorded a demo, which became their acclaimed
debut EP, æTo Buy The PastÆ. Every member of the band helps to pen the music.
ôEach and every one of us has a hand in songwriting,'' says Reid. ôItÆs not a
Treetop Flyers song until everyone has put in in their bit.'' On the back of the
EP release and their swiftly honed, commanding live show, they went on to win
the Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition. TheyÆd managed to forget that
theyÆd even entered, but when they were told theyÆd made it through to the final
heats, they headed to Worthy Farm to play a special gig for Michael and Emily
Eavis and a panel of judges. Their prize was six shows at Glastonbury Festival
in 2011, including opening up the Other Stage to a couple of thousand people.
Fast forward a few months and the band set about making a list of dream
producers for their album. Noah Georgeson was one of the first names to crop up.
ôI could hear how the songs would sound with him doing it,ö explains Reid, a
long-time fan. Figuring they had nothing to lose, the band reached out to him
and, to their delight, he immediately agreed to work with them.
ôHe was incredible at tones and sounds and getting rid of stuff that didnÆt need
to be there û being a bit ruthless,ö says Reid. ôIt was such a privilege and
really relaxing. They were 12 hour days but you felt like you could go on.ö The
fact that the studio was positioned in the middle of a canyon didnÆt hurt, with
Reid watching eagles fly by the floor to ceiling windows as he did his vocal
takes. Georgeson also helped with nailing the bandÆs live sound on the record,
making sure every track sounded as vibrant and fresh on the console as it did
during a show.
Opening with the driving æThings Will ChangeÆ û the message of which is ôthings
are shit sometimes, but theyÆll be alright in the endö - the powerful pace of
æThe Mountain MovesÆ doesnÆt let up for the faultless classic rock of æHouses
Are BurningÆ or the Northern Soul leaning æPicture ShowÆ.
æWaiting On YouÆ is hope-laden tribute to ReidÆs late father, which was recorded
six months to the day since he passed away. ôI always have my dadÆs ashes in my
guitar case, and heÆs actually on the track, as a shaker,ö reveals Reid.
With its cries of being ôstuck down in a nowhere townö, æPostcardsÆ is a Stax
inspired doo-wop shuffler of a song about the time the band spent in Denver on
their way to LA. ôNo disrespect, but it was one of the most lonely places IÆve
ever been,ö explains Sam. The same canÆt be said for the track and its welcoming
blast of summer soul.
æStorm Will PassÆ was finished late on the very last night of recording. ôFor
some reason, the computer freaked out massively when Tomer was doing his singing
bit,ö remembers Reid. ôIt sounded like he got caught in this UFO space war. No
one could explain what was happening. It was really weird, but it sounded
incredible.ö So of course, the band kept it in.
In addition to the stunning simplicity of æIs It All Worth ItÆ, the delicate
æRoseÆ showcases the softer side of Treetop Flyers, a lullaby that betrays an
admiration of the British folk sounds of the 1970s, with whispers of Nick Drake
and Fairport Convention amidst the canyon croons. ôThereÆs nothing complex about
it, itÆs just sunshine,ö adds Sam of the track. ôItÆs a capsule of us then, at
that time, which is what a record should be.ö