"I don't know where I've been / now I see you smile again..."
There are so many iconic flavors stirring about in the gorgeous and cool love song "Let's Be Natural" by indie rock stalwarts Bradley Stewart & The Thornbirds that I don't know where to begin and in the end, the seeds of what some might call a revival rock song might now be that important. It does from the very first big slapping downbeat feel like a sweet time machine that conjures up imagery of suited musicians with cowboy boots on, some with pompadours and some with long hair. The sound is, for me, beautifully cross generational. I can feel the mid 1950's tortured heartbreak songs of Ray Peterson, the 60's mad brilliance of Skeeter Davis ('The End of the World') and the Brit pop inspired Broken Arrow-esque sadness of Buffalo Springfield. There is, of course, heavy doo wop textures but also western country tones, Americana filtered through garden rock. In modern terms something like a collision of Kevin Morby and Chicano Batman.
But more from the creator, Bradley Stewart:
"This is a love song about the concept of being yourself in a relationship and the challenges of being with someone who maybe doesn't understand the importance of that right away. The song is based on a vocal melody that haunted my mind for a few months, which I built harmonies around. The song was influenced by Laurel Canyon artists such as Gram Parsons and The Byrds, but also some classic soul artists such as Smokey Robinson, and even some country/western influences as well. I recorded it with jazz producer Bennie Sims, who helped me develop the arrangement and provided bass guitar to the track."
This beautiful nostalgic sound, like 70's psych rock and other time spun genres are coming back in a big way. I noticed a pivotal shift back in 2007 and there are too many to mention who do their iterations of this kind of sound in a really fine way. Bradley certainly feels real, one reason might be his dedication to recording on tape prior to mixing or maybe it is just in his D.N.A.
[Bradley Stewart is a singer/songwriter/multi-instumentalist from Pennsylvania known for blending the sounds of folk rock, psychedelia and vintage soul music. The sound of the music is almost like an echo of the late 1960s. The Thornbirds consist of Stewart, alongside songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Brendan Steakelum; songwriter/guitarist Mike DeLong; pianist/vocalist Danielle Stewart; and legendary jazz bassist and producer Bennie Sims.]
-Robb Donker Curtius
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2KUf64mwGBsz0tzqIDV76s
https://www.instagram.com/thornbirdsmusic/
Bradley Stewart is a singer/songwriter/multi-instumentalist from Pennsylvania known for blending the sounds of folk rock, psychedelia and vintage soul music. The sound of the music is almost like an echo of the late 1960s. The Thornbirds consist of Stewart, alongside songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Brendan Steakelum; songwriter/guitarist Mike DeLong; pianist/vocalist Danielle Stewart; and legendary jazz bassist and producer Bennie Sims. The band's first single "The End Is Not The End" debuted on famed Los Angeles DJ Rodney Bingenheimer's show on SiriusXM in 2022. The band recently released an EP titled "Enemies". A new LP "The End Is Not The End" will be released on vinyl in 2023. The Thornbirds started out in the Philadelphia folk rock scene in the early 2010s as "The Fallen Troubadours" and recorded an album under now defunct indie label Candy Colored Dragon. During that time, the band had the opportunity to open for Dave Davies (The Kinks), before touring the UK in 2012, a tour that kicked off with two sets at the legendary Cavern Club in Liverpool. In 2019, Stewart & Steakelum performed as a duo as support act for Three Dog Night. During Covid, The Thornbirds were formed and were focused exclusively on recording, creating a multitude of recordings which will be released periodically over the coming year. Follow Bradley Stewart & The Thornbirds on social media for more information and tour dates.
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