FUTUREBIRDS
''BABA YAGA''
APRIL 16 2013
66:28
1. Virginia Slims /5:43
2. Serial Bowls /3:23
3. American Cowboy /4:34
4. Tan Lines /5:10
5. Felix Helix /3:50
6. Dig /6:28
7. Keith and Donna /6:41
8. The Light /3:06
9. Death Awaits /6:06
10. The Doewg /2:44
11. Heavy Weights /5:09
12. Strangers /4:57
13. St. Summercamp /8:37
Payton Bradford
Freon Fighters /Producer
Thomas Johnson
Carter King
Dennis Love
Brannen Miles
Jacob Morris /Cello
Alexandra Spalding /Cello
Daniel Womack
REVIEW
by James Christopher Monger
Baba Yaga, the Fat Possum-issued sophomore outing from Athens, Georgia-based country psych-rockers The Futurebirds, finds the sweet spot between Big Star, My Morning Jacket, and Band of Horses, offering up a spirited 13-song set that's as effervescent as it is impermeable. Doused in enough reverb to give both Surfer Blood and The Vaccines a run for their money, and built on a foundation of roots rock, country-folk, and rural indie pop, The Futurebirds have crafted a dense yet likable tonic to the winter doldrums. It's one that manages to make well-worn tropes sound vital, especially when those melodies are delivered in ragged yet rich four-part harmonies, as is the case with standout cuts like "Virginia Slims," "Tan Lines," "Keith and Donna," and the Fables of the Reconstruction-era R.E.M.-inspired "Serial Bowls." Named after a bony, child-eating crone from Eastern European folklore, Baba Yaga's uncomplicated musicality is offset by its colorful vernacular, which ranges from the cosmic ("Felix Helix," "Death Awaits") to the plain offbeat ("Womeo," "The Doewg"), yet never loses its Southern conviviality. There are times when the stadium-size production feels a little too much like a band-aid, desperately trying to oversell some of the less memorable material, much of which resides within the album's unfalteringly midtempo-heavy midsection, but Baba Yaga isn't really a record to be picked over. If anything, it feels like alt-country's answer to stoner metal (and a decidedly healthier one at that), providing the listener with a soundtrack that's as tailor-made for hazy summer afternoons as it is for the inky black curtain of night.
BIOGRAPHY
by Andrew Leahey
Hailing from the bohemian college town of Athens, Georgia, Futurebirds play laid-back country-rock with an atmospheric, psychedelic twist. The group began turning heads with the release of a self-titled EP, whose backwoods harmonies and pedal steel riffs helped earn a contract with Autumn Tone Records. With the label’s help, Futurebirds booked time at Chase Park Transduction -- one of Athens’ most renowned studios, with a client list that includes R.E.M., Drive-By Truckers, and Jason Isbell -- and recorded Hampton’s Lullaby. The debut album was released in August 2010, and the group issued a follow-up EP, Via Flamina, while touring in support of both releases. The band's sophomore outing, the eclectic Baba Yaga, arrived in Spring 2013.
DoWnLoAd
''BABA YAGA''
APRIL 16 2013
66:28
1. Virginia Slims /5:43
2. Serial Bowls /3:23
3. American Cowboy /4:34
4. Tan Lines /5:10
5. Felix Helix /3:50
6. Dig /6:28
7. Keith and Donna /6:41
8. The Light /3:06
9. Death Awaits /6:06
10. The Doewg /2:44
11. Heavy Weights /5:09
12. Strangers /4:57
13. St. Summercamp /8:37
Payton Bradford
Freon Fighters /Producer
Thomas Johnson
Carter King
Dennis Love
Brannen Miles
Jacob Morris /Cello
Alexandra Spalding /Cello
Daniel Womack
REVIEW
by James Christopher Monger
Baba Yaga, the Fat Possum-issued sophomore outing from Athens, Georgia-based country psych-rockers The Futurebirds, finds the sweet spot between Big Star, My Morning Jacket, and Band of Horses, offering up a spirited 13-song set that's as effervescent as it is impermeable. Doused in enough reverb to give both Surfer Blood and The Vaccines a run for their money, and built on a foundation of roots rock, country-folk, and rural indie pop, The Futurebirds have crafted a dense yet likable tonic to the winter doldrums. It's one that manages to make well-worn tropes sound vital, especially when those melodies are delivered in ragged yet rich four-part harmonies, as is the case with standout cuts like "Virginia Slims," "Tan Lines," "Keith and Donna," and the Fables of the Reconstruction-era R.E.M.-inspired "Serial Bowls." Named after a bony, child-eating crone from Eastern European folklore, Baba Yaga's uncomplicated musicality is offset by its colorful vernacular, which ranges from the cosmic ("Felix Helix," "Death Awaits") to the plain offbeat ("Womeo," "The Doewg"), yet never loses its Southern conviviality. There are times when the stadium-size production feels a little too much like a band-aid, desperately trying to oversell some of the less memorable material, much of which resides within the album's unfalteringly midtempo-heavy midsection, but Baba Yaga isn't really a record to be picked over. If anything, it feels like alt-country's answer to stoner metal (and a decidedly healthier one at that), providing the listener with a soundtrack that's as tailor-made for hazy summer afternoons as it is for the inky black curtain of night.
BIOGRAPHY
by Andrew Leahey
Hailing from the bohemian college town of Athens, Georgia, Futurebirds play laid-back country-rock with an atmospheric, psychedelic twist. The group began turning heads with the release of a self-titled EP, whose backwoods harmonies and pedal steel riffs helped earn a contract with Autumn Tone Records. With the label’s help, Futurebirds booked time at Chase Park Transduction -- one of Athens’ most renowned studios, with a client list that includes R.E.M., Drive-By Truckers, and Jason Isbell -- and recorded Hampton’s Lullaby. The debut album was released in August 2010, and the group issued a follow-up EP, Via Flamina, while touring in support of both releases. The band's sophomore outing, the eclectic Baba Yaga, arrived in Spring 2013.
DoWnLoAd
