Album Review

Haight-Ashbury – Haight-Ashbury 2: The Ashburys

• 13th Feb 2012

The second album from Glasgow’s foremost psychedelic/ folk trio builds nicely on the 2010 debut release, Here In The Golden Rays. It has the same lively mix of a 1960s folk base updated with elements of modern day rock, and captures much of the energy of the band’s excellent live shows.

The band’s sound comes in the main from the varied guitars of Scott Reid and the twin lead vocals from Jennifer Thompson and Kirsty Reid. Bass, drums and occasional piano also feature, but it is the vocals and guitar that defines Haight-Ashbury’s music.

The album opens with a sitar backing the soft vocals on Maastricht: A Treaty. The Eastern influence of the music contrasts with the very European title. The pace rises to a frenzied conclusion before fading out. It’s an odd track in some ways and I’m not sure I fully understand it, but it is certainly a striking beginning.

Later track Everything Is Possible has a similar sound but a lighter feel. The vocals are almost spoken at times and the reference to “the San Francisco beat” fits well with the atmospheric backing. Dum Dee Dum also uses the sitar to good effect and here a drum marks time behind those fine twin vocals

The highlight of the album is the quite excellent single Sophomore, which typifies everything that is so good about this band. The vocals have that dreamy sixties quality with excellent harmonies and strong phrasing, while the guitar setting a steady rhythm. There are several distinct phases to the track, including an anthemic chant, a short chorus with high vocals and a bass driven section that is slower and darker.

2nd Hand Rose is a bit of a slow burner. On first listen its very simple guitar rhythm and chanted lyrics didn’t really grab me, but in time I came to appreciate the multi layered depths of the production and the interesting effects that see the vocals rise from the mix before falling back into it.

Ta Wit Ta Woo and Free Love are fairly simple folk songs, the kind of tracks that are staple Haight-Ashbury fare. She’s So Groovy ’86 and Moondogs are both in a similar vein but have a more melodic quality that pleases.

The guitar effects that open Hole In The Ground are interesting, with the sound seeming to fade back and forth between the speakers to give a lovely psychedelic effect before the vocals come in. There is an experimental feel to the vocals too, as at times Thompson and Reid are split between the left and right channels. It’s well worth listening to this one through headphones to get the full effect.

Buffalo Trace has a heavier beat and chanted lyrics that sound quite chilling before there is a total change of feel and the album ends with seven minutes of piano and lovely soft vocals in Love, Haight and Ashbury. The track stops half way through before beginning again in similar fashion – it could actually be two songs or perhaps two parts of the same one. Either way this love song is well worth hearing.

This is a fine album that shows the qualities that Haight-Ashbury have to good effect. They bring a modern twist to some older sounds and the combination of simple rhythms with intricate guitar parts and two fine voices works well throughout. It’s not mainstream, but is much the better for that, and if you fancy something just a little different this album is well worth checking out.