Across the River of Stars is the fourth studio album by American alt-country band Beachwood Sparks, released on July 19, 2024, through Curation Records. It marks their first album of new material in 12 years, following The Tarnished Gold (2012). The album received positive reviews from critics.
| Across the River of Stars | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 19, 2024 | |||
| Genre | Country rock | |||
| Length | 28:10 | |||
| Label | Curation | |||
| Producer | Chris Robinson | |||
| Beachwood Sparks chronology | ||||
| ||||
Critical reception
edit| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 83/100[1] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Mojo |  [3] |
| Paste | 7.3/10[4] |
| Uncut | 7/10[5] |
Across the River of Stars received a score of 83 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on six critics' reviews, which the website categorized as "universal acclaim".[1] Mojo described it as "a succinct record about wisdom accrued through adversity, its layered arrangements packing subtle psych tropes and world-weary vocal-harmony".[3] Uncut felt that "the core trio of Chris Gunst, Brent Rademaker and Farmer Dave Scher, plus various friends, excel on the breezy optimism of 'Falling Forever', while the mellow vibes of 'Faded Glory' recall Teenage Fanclub at their sunniest".[5]
Matt Collar of AllMusic wrote that the album "finds the California group embracing the psychedelic '70s country-rock of their early work with an added sonic shimmer" and producer Chris Robinson "brings his own passion for rootsy, kaleidoscope-eyed rock", which results in "a glow that beckons to you, pulling you closer".[2] Paste's Eric R. Danton stated that the "cosmic Americana leanings are in full effect right from the start" and the band are "good at what they do, and the long intervals between albums makes it easy to welcome them back".[4] Glide Magazine summarized that the band "hit the cosmic canyon touchpoints and beyond on their short but sweet return".[6]
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Christopher Lee Gunst, Brent Rademaker, and David Scher.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "My Love, My Love" | 3:39 |
| 2. | "Torn in Two" | 3:15 |
| 3. | "Falling Forever" | 3:34 |
| 4. | "Gentle Samurai" | 3:48 |
| 5. | "Gem" | 3:54 |
| 6. | "Faded Glory" | 2:47 |
| 7. | "Dolphin Dance" | 2:25 |
| 8. | "High Noon" | 2:42 |
| 9. | "Wild Swans" | 2:06 |
| Total length: | 28:10 | |
Personnel
editBeachwood Sparks
- Christopher Gunst
- Jen Gunst
- Ben Knight
- Brent Rademaker
- Andres Renteria
- Dave Scher
Additional contributors
- Chris Robinson – production
- JJ Golden – mastering
- Paul Stacey – mixing
- Eric Bauer – engineering
- Taylor Rushing – cover art
- Christopher Appelgren – design
References
edit- ^ a b "Across the River of Stars by Beachwood Sparks Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
- ^ a b Collar, Matt. "Across the River of Stars – Beachwood Sparks". AllMusic. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ a b "Beachwood Sparks – Across the River of Stars". Mojo. August 2024. p. 88.
- ^ a b Danton, Eric R. (July 18, 2024). "Beachwood Sparks End Their Long Break with Across the River of Stars". Paste. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ a b "Beachwood Sparks – Across the River of Stars". Uncut. August 2024. p. 31.
- ^ "Beachwood Sparks Traverse Cosmic Canyon Touchpoints with Sweet & Soothing The River of Stars (Album Review)". Glide Magazine. July 18, 2024. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
External links
edit- Across the River of Stars at Discogs (list of releases)