Velvet Starlings - Sold Down The River (2020)

Velvet Starlings are an indie rock quartet from Los Angeles, California, who are deeply rooted in 1960's psych, beat and fuzz. They were formed by the then 18-year old Christian Gisborne, and the band has been praised for its ability to fuse 60's garage rock into a sound that is all their own, best described as beach-fuzz-psych with a big cheeky nod to the British Invasion. Their debut self-titled EP on Sound x 3 Records/Rock N Rolla Records was released in late 2018, in collaboration with producer/songwriter Roger Gisborne (leader of 90's Brit Rock band Plastiscene, and Christian's brother). It included the single 'Borrowed Time', which was a clear tribute to the sixties era, while second single, 'Sold Down The River', showcased Dylan-esque lyrics, soulful Hammond B3 organ, gritty guitars and raw blues inspired vocals. They followed this with another EP in 2019, with 'Love Everything, Love Everyone...' containing seven more superb 60's influenced tracks, which were this time produced by Christian Gisborne alongside his brother, and now bandmate, Roger in Los Angeles, with engineer/mixer Josiah Mazzaschi (Smashing Pumpkins, The Kills, Jesus & Mary Chain and Deap Valley). The music adopted a slightly heavier sound, mirroring the band's dynamic live performance, and 'Kids In Droves' was chosen as the lead single from the EP. In late 2020 they released a Christmas single, and the following year they finally issued their debut album, 'Technicolour Shake Down', to positive reviews. I've been a massive fan of the band since the first time I heard 'Sold Down The River', and remember being amazed that someone so young could produce a song so firmly rooted in an era that was over more than twenty year before he was even born. As an introduction to the band, here are their first two EP's, plus their Christmas single, compiled into an album that really deserves a hearing, and if you are as impressed by them as I was then check out their debut album proper on Bandcamp. 

Track listing

01 If Life Ain't Getting You High
02 Borrowed Time
03 Sold Down The River
04 I'll Be There
05 Coming Home
06 No Hard Feelings
07 It's Christmas Time Again
08 Bitter Pills
09 Kids In Droves
10 Rabbit In A Gun
11 Emerald Isle
12 Karmic Lemonade
13 No Soul To Save
14 Broken Soul (Reprise)