"said the ace of coins / to the queen of wands / “how many tortured nights / and tearful dawns?” / for the ten of cups / in a vain pursuit / we debase ourselves / and bear no fruit..."
The beautifully moving baroque pop sway of "Tarot" by the ever so artful Seattle, Washington based singer-songwriter / multi-instrumentalist Brian Noyes, sweeps you up in wistful ways, transporting you elsewhere. Now that movement could be to another place or time or both. For me, the sound bathed in fluttering string orchestrations, sophisticated pop hollow body guitar patterns, staggered tom tom drum beats, embracing bass lines and somber pop vocals feels particularly nostalgic as if the prose and melodies were birthed in the 60's or 70's and I feel artistic / spiritual connections to artists like Nick Drake (songs like Fly -1971- or Day Is Done -1969), the Velvet Underground and even Elliot Smith's No Name #1 from his 1994 Roman Candle album and I don't mean in a kind of impersonation-esque way at all, but more attitudinally, impressionistically. There are strains of melancholy and maybe natural inclinations to blend those sensations with a sort of folk elegance. Because of this and the fact that the pop abstractions are stirred into an amalgam of a kind of Brit pop, baroque / folk pop, jangle pop and indie rock, all in a cross generational way, I also couldn't help but think of a particular period of Wes Anderson films, I mean, this touching, super pretty and pretty sad track could have been on The Royal Tenenbaums soundtrack and fit perfectly.
"Tarot" is the first single off of Brian Noyes' upcoming third album "The Ringing World". Written and arranged by Noyes, it was recorded at The Unknown in Anacortes, WA with former members of La Luz and Alvvays. It is expected to drop on August 28th (2026). Noyes, besides releasing solo material is also a member of the psych pop group Tomten and also performs as a touring keyboardist for San Francisco band Papercuts.
I look forward to delving into "The Ringing World" but until then I will listen to "Tarot" often while viewing clips of The Royal Tenenbaums (with the audio off of course).
LYRICS
said the ace of coins
to the queen of wands
“how many tortured nights
and tearful dawns?”
for the ten of cups
in a vain pursuit
we debase ourselves
and bear no fruit
we debase ourselves
and bear no fruit
there’s the hanging man
and the hierophant
give me pause
or cause me to recant
its a pyrrhic tale
and far beyond the pale
yet I told myself
I wouldn’t fail
yes, I told myself
I wouldn’t fail
well, the empress gasped
as the magician
reaching over
turns the skeleton
its the end of the line
and don’t you think its time?
you were on your way
and I on mine
on your way
and I on mine
to the queen of wands
“how many tortured nights
and tearful dawns?”
for the ten of cups
in a vain pursuit
we debase ourselves
and bear no fruit
we debase ourselves
and bear no fruit
there’s the hanging man
and the hierophant
give me pause
or cause me to recant
its a pyrrhic tale
and far beyond the pale
yet I told myself
I wouldn’t fail
yes, I told myself
I wouldn’t fail
well, the empress gasped
as the magician
reaching over
turns the skeleton
its the end of the line
and don’t you think its time?
you were on your way
and I on mine
on your way
and I on mine
credits
Brian Noyes: Vocals, Guitars, Organ, Mellotron, Glockenspiel
Jake Brady: Drums, Bass
Alina To: Violin
Abbey Blackwell: Upright Bass
Lena Simon: Vocals
Brian Noyes: Vocals, Guitars, Organ, Mellotron, Glockenspiel
Jake Brady: Drums, Bass
Alina To: Violin
Abbey Blackwell: Upright Bass
Lena Simon: Vocals
The Chicken Wheel will take you to the AP Go Fund Me- and any amount is so appreciated!
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM
https://briannoyes.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/brian.noyes.songs/
Brian Noyes is a Seattle, Washington based singer-songwriter. He is a member of the psych pop group Tomten and also performs as a touring keyboardist for San Francisco band Papercuts. Seelie Court the second LP from Brian Noyes was released March 7, 2025 on Plume Records, and The Ringing World continues his collaboration with engineer and co-producer Nicholas Wilbur. Influenced by the likes of Nick Drake, John Cale, The Clientele and Bridget St. John, Noyes recorded with producer Jason Quever (Papercuts, Cass McCombs, and Beach House) in Los Angeles, along with Andy Meyer and Nicholas Wilbur at The Unknown in Anacortes, Washington during the sessions for his self-titled debut released in 2020. Noyes was joined by former members of La Luz, Alvvays, and Sugar Candy Mountain for his new record The Ringing World out 8/28/26.
Over the last few years Brian Noyes has supported the likes of Gruff Rhys, Robert Lester Folsom, Yuma Abe, Modern Nature, Brigid Dawson and The Mothers Network, and Still Corners
Brian Noyes, Seattle, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, new single "Tarot", new 3rd album "The Ringing World", member of psych pop Tomten, Papercuts keyboardist, baroque pop, indie rock, folk, jangle pop, melancholy,
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