Treetop Flyers
The Mountain Moves
Partisan Records
It’s a little hard
to believe The
Mountain Moves
is a debut album,
because it sounds
like the Treetop Flyers have been doing this
for a while. In fact, it’s pretty much just the
youthfulness of their voices that tells us they
haven’t been making music for decades.
Sounding eerily close to a perfectly preserved piece of vinyl from the heyday of Left Coast folk-rock, this London-based quintet just oozes an early-’70s, Cali-groovy vibe. And it’s California where the Flyers teamed up with producer Noah Georgeson to make their straight-out-of-a-time-capsule-sounding record.
When listening to any band, it’s difficult not to make comparisons to another, especially when writing a review. But, man, with the Treetop Flyers, it’s virtually impossible to not get tricked into thinking you might be hearing unreleased material from Crosby, Stills, and Nash that got mashed up with a dash of America. That’s not to say this album is an exercise in imitation, because it’s not. All 11 tracks are fresh and soulful tunes chock-full of multipart harmonies and shimmery guitar that may cause a few double takes.
A vintage-flavored trifecta of solid musicianship, moving vocals, and thoughtful songwriting, The Mountain Moves is a nice listen that’s timed right for summer.
Must-hear track: “Things Will Change”