NEWS RELEASE
CHROMATIC PR
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Toronto-based sextet Beams are set to play CW Coops on May 26 in support of their captivating new album Requiem for a Planet, which is out May 3.
Download or stream here, or start with the magnetic lead single A.W.I.L, which earned great press from FLOOD ("mimics Grizzly Bear's intricate guitar tapestries"), Exclaim! ("a dusky, vaguely gothic rocker that's nonetheless infused with light"), Brooklyn Vegan, and more.
In the opening track, Childlike Empress – a huge song that holds multi-part harmonies, spoken-word recitations, and scorching guitar solos – the vibrant, imaginative and hopeful heart of the album is revealed. Fans of Akron/Family, Grizzly Bear and The Dirty Projectors will likely love this.
Beams is Martin Crawford (electric guitars, lap steel), Mike Duffield (drums), Keith Hamilton (vibraphone, singing saw, vocals), Heather Mazhar (vocals), Anna Mērnieks-Duffield (lead vocals), and Craig Moffat (bass).
"Requiem is about grieving the loss of the ‘planet’ we were promised as kids. One where it seemed like we were collectively working to create a more positive future for all, and being faced with the reality that this is simply not true. It’s also about acceptance of this fact, and finding a way to dream up and realize better futures,” explains lead vocalist/songwriter Anna Mērnieks-Duffield.
“We have every right to be angry and sad. But this is our life. If we live in a constant state of reaction to all of the fear-mongering, then the powers that spread those messages around are winning. We have to fight and make spaces to feel joy and love and community.”
Recorded by Kevin S. McMahon (Swans, Real Estate, Titus Andronicus) at Marcata Recording — a 200-year-old barn at the base of the Shawangunk mountains in New Paltz, N.Y. — Requiem is one of those spaces, and a world unto itself.
Hypnotic vibraphone, purring amps, glistening guitars, and the pull of ghostly violin strings weave intoxicating soundscapes that create a sense of singular intimacy with the listener.
There are clear psych-folk and post-rock influences, and much attention was paid to creating a mood, capturing interesting tones, and sustaining an immersive atmosphere.
Thematically, Beams have always made music that contemplates both the darkness and the light of the places in which we find ourselves.
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