Well, you've heard The Byrds, I take it. Well, so have these guys, and I feel pretty certain that if the Byrds had NOT happened, neither would Beachwood Sparks, which is why I gave this 4 stars, not 5 (not highly original). But just listen to this album (If you don't own it, then listen to the samples) and tell me it is not shining, melodic, heartfelt stuff! The songs are consistently great - not a clunker that I can spot - and the actual sound of the recording is orgasmic. Great harmonies, clean, shiny guitars; just a great vibe all the way through. "See, Oh Three" (whatever the hell that means) is my favorite song @ the moment, followed closely by "Something I Don't Recognize", which I recognize as being heaven-sent jangle. Love it, love it! Of course I am a huge fan of The Byrds as well, which helps. This is a beautiful album, and their second one really pales in comparison, I think - the songs are not as strong. Press play and let it shine!

indulge your ears in some could country-tinged psych-pop california style - Byrds-esque and quite catchy - good for pop fans. not a classic, but a solid record with some lush and hummable tunes. my favorite track is The Old Sea Miner - lots of fun. Enjoy!

Beachwood Sparks are often compared to Flying Burrito Brothers and The Byrds, and while this might be a good comparison, there's a lot more to the band. Add some Barrett-era Pink Floyd-organs and Beach Boys style harmonies to the description, with a good dose of their own brand of idiosyncrasies, and you'll be closer to what they sound like.

'Beachwood Sparks' is really a very cool album. The vocal harmonies sound beautiful, and all of the musicians play around with interesting chord and tempo changes. Some of the highlights include "Desert Skies", "This Is What It Feels Like" and "Old Sea Miner". If you're a fan of any of the aforementioned bands, you want to check this album out.

Great record! Predictably, comparisons ran rife between these guys and legendary hippie-billy country-rock pioneer, Gram Parsons... A more apt parallel might be to the non-Parsons Byrds, say, around the time of the "Notorious Byrd Brothers" album. They've got a lot of the same elements: their thin, tortured vocal harmonies strike the right balance between folksy and flawed, and then there's the same herky-jerky rhythmic approach to the pedal steel (not unlike hippie-billy icon, Sneaky Pete Kleinow)... Of course the Beachwoods do this all with a nod and a wink -- earlier countrybilly pioneers like Greezy Wheels and the New Riders already made the real mistakes, oh, those many years ago -- these guys are merely looking back with affection. The occasional Stereolabby bleep-bloop or Pink Floyd-y shooting-star keyboard riff remind us that a lot of water has gone under the rocknroll bridge since the days when Gram strode the earth, and this album proves itself a perfect extension of the psychedelic country music made way back when. It may seem erratic and sketchy, but actually the band put a lot of cunning and craft into this album, and the payoff is pretty nice. If you're like me, you'll find yourself pleasantly surprised to be humming a tune or two of theirs at unexpected times during the day. Check it out.

I would agree with most of the positive things written about these folks. The one thing that PEOPLE SEEMED TO HAVE OVERLOOKED when talking about these boys is that THEY CAN REALLY PLAY. For me, this is what separates the older classics (Stones, Byrds, CSNY, etc) from many modern bands (Oasis + co). Both are capable of writing great songs, but it seems that the quality of musicianship was far higher back then!

They're not trying to be clever - it's just great americana-folk-rock pop. ...A bit like The G. Deads studio albums (Working Man and American Beaut), but poppier and a more accessible.

I would highly recommend BS to anyone who loves great music, played well, with an authentic 60s vibe.