Devil Tree: Clear Vinyl LP
BPR037CLabel: Big Potato
Release Date: 16th February
Big Potato are digging up lost and overlooked shoulda been classics from 2004, which sounds relatively recent if it wasn't 20 years ago. Saying that, Coley Park's 'Devil Tree' could easily be a new release and you wouldn't blink, it's fuzzy garage rock, cosmic country and pastoral psychedelic folk the kind new bands are trying to perfect like Coley Park did back in 2004, whilst few were watching.
In their quest for buried treasure, BIG POTATO are delighted to release this groovy, soulful country-psych gem from Reading’s COLEY PARK as the band & producer had always intended. The second of three wonderful albums the band recorded between 2003-2007 in a spirit of determined DIY independence and sonic discovery. “Coley Park manage to strike a telling balance between the pastoral vibes of little England & a warm Americana-come-west coast sound rooted in the 1960s. Detailed by studied lyrics, they stir up a woozy psych sound of a high standard” 4/5 The Independent. All analogue reformed, found & complied by a founder member Nick Holton from his & co-producer Neil Halstead’s notes. Tunes so fragile they could shatter to epic but lo-fi woozy, English psych grooviness - you can feel the joy of a band discovering how to mash up driving fuzzy wah-wah guitar with banjo, slide, the odd trumpet and Nick Portnell’s warmly fragile, defiant vocals. The songs are all catchy as hell and heavy. Prayers for escape, closeness, understanding they just exude soul. It has that indefinable, authentic vibe of a real band record. Each member bringing a distinct, weird, unlikely something, that together made the entire album sound new in 2004. It still sounds new & finally as they intended. “Coley Park's pastoral vibes of little England, detailed by studied lyrics, stir up a woozy psych sound of a high standard”