Fruits de Mer Records [Release date 11.10.23]
We first came across Hanford Flyover on a sampler from the Fruits de Mer label who specialise in psych, prog and anything slightly leftfield. Much of the label output harks back to the late sixties and inspired by psychedelic pop rock groups on both sides of the Atlantic.
Hanford Flyover represent something a bit different. Josh and Holly Bowler have fashioned a contemporary sounding album using elements of electronica, pop, folk, prog and rock. This should have much wider appeal and in fact could become the label’s first major crossover success.
‘Shadows On The Sun’, the track on that sampler, is an upbeat taster for the whole album. Holly’s vocal in particular puts her in firmly in the late-sixties psych vibe (she also plays keys) whilst Josh’s guitar figures drive the music with added keyboard effects.
The same vibe permeates ‘Shallow Waters’ which reminds a little of another great sixties female fronted psych band, the Dutch Shocking Blue.
There’s an appealing infectiousness throughout, whether it’s ‘This Is Now’ with its evocative keyboard orchestration and proggy playout or ‘Formless’ with it’s ‘Baba O’Reilly’ Who-patented motif heralding one of the album’s standouts.
‘Neutrino’ is essentially an instrumental workout which alludes to other band influences such as Tangerine Dream and perhaps, inevitably, (early) Pink Floyd.
‘Firefly’ has another groovy (Ian Turner) bass-driven riff and together with ‘Golden’ and ‘Entropy’ is the most psychedelic work-out on the album with indie overtones and Josh’s vocals more to the fore. ‘Golden’ reminding me of another great band the long lost Public Symphony with the blend of harmonies and synth but that band was never as thrusty. ‘Entropy’ on the other hand has Hawkwind-esque flourishes adding to its hypnotic intensity.
Hanford Flyover have played the label’s annual showcase event in west Wales for two successive years and to great response. There are several bands operating in the psych/blues rock space and female fronted such as Dead Feathers and Blues Pills, and even label mate Crystal Jacqueline. But Hanford Flyover are less late sixties Jefferson Airplane and arguably of even wider appeal.
Curious listeners will want to seek out the debut album ‘FreeFall’ (2019) ‘Hanford Tape Sessions’ (2021) and EPs available via Bandcamp (although ‘X To The N’ includes early versions of three tracks from the new album). But ‘Source’ is a great starter. ****1/2
Review by David Randall
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