Oakland, California’s Royal Oakie Records have released truly wonderful music of late and so it is a rather lovely thing to see a compilation of some of these beauties in one place. Royal Oakie – Summer 2024 came out on July 5th and features tracks from the likes of Curling, Donald Beaman, Iain Mann, Holy Matter, and Natural Bridges (amongst other gems)- many stewarded by the production hand of label founder and master craftsman David Glasebrook.
Kicking off with Shamble by Berkeley, California residents Curling – you cannot help but be hooked in. Curling are a force to be reckoned with and this sonic collage is, unsurprisingly, an absolute dream, beginning with a psyche-evoking mellotron warble before entering into an enveloping jangle-pop landscape that feels like coming home. The melody twists and turns in surprising and entwining ways – its subtle sonic shifts (in part down to its cut and paste production strategies) coalescing as an enticing whole – the horns at the songs choral coda adding further sun-stroked swoon as the band demonstrate deliberate pleasure in the creative possibilities found at a song’s rougher edges.
Sea Dramas offer Richard Hawley echoing retro atmospheres – all vintage croon and romantic melodies. Then Jeff Moller (on During Retrograde) provides an already eager ear with a patchwork of odd McCartney-evoking pop sentiments – bass excursions dancing along merrily alongside multi-tracked harmonisations aplenty; a self-declared fog-pop Tom Petty, this is music that is as precise as it is beautifully free, whose surf-rock harmonies prop the pop deliciousness up further. Half Stack push forth a whiskey-soaked energy that fizzes along with a punky, garage-rock charm – bolstered by the countrified twang of the guitar work. On Shake It Loose, Natural Bridges slow things down with their melodious Neil Youngisms – beautiful, country-inspired and tightly played throughout – with gorgeously yearning lap steel to top it all off. Holy Matter’s Wishing Well is a little psyche-pop gem, driven by a 1960s Maestro Rhythm Jester drum machine and undulating Motown-esque bass line; the whole thing is a Farfisa-enriched, nostalgic dreamscape- atmospheric and smoky – with girl group harmonies seemingly passed through a narcotic hall of mirrors to mesmerising effect.
Donald Beaman’s Old Universe serves up deftly executed country-folk euphoniousness – the musicianship exquisite – the richest of all being Beaman’s understated but graceful voice – wise and aphoristic and full of charm and longing. Iain Mann demonstrates atmospheric, almost baroque, song craft here – evoking Brian Wilson as much as it does a homespun McCartney – whose melodies are rich in child-like familiarity and nostalgia. It’s a beautiful thing- particularly when those strings join in in their intimate orchestrations. Go By Ocean provides a slice of wonky pop pulchritude on Peace In Your Garden (remix). Ryan McCaffrey’s ode to introverts – it offers another moment of beauty; his voice is a marvellously evocative thing and dances towards a Van Morrisonesque richness at times. Again, production details are key here and each subtle addition enriches and intrigues and further enhances the nostalgic, memory-evoking atmospheres Glasebrook seems to specialise in.
Michael James Tapscott finishes things in a suitably horizon-searching, wondrous way – crafting an evocative instrumental slice of understated, delicate, country folk – led down surprising sonic paths by the controlled musicianship – notably the fretless bass playing of Josh Housh. It’s a warm embrace as much as a graceful farewell- a fitting end to a wonderful label snapshot from a truly wonderful label.
If you’ve yet to discover the joys lurking in Royal Oakie’s catalogue, this is a great place to start. You won’t be disappointed.
Royal Oakie – Summer 2024 is out now.
Written M.A Welsh (Misophone)
Music | Misophone (bandcamp.com)
