And it’s goodbye from them with a final flourish.
Los Angeles group GospelbeacH have announced details of their final album “Wiggle Your Fingers” which arrives on 26th April through Curation Records. The new full-length recording finds the band’s Laurel Canyon sounds drifting down to Hollywood in the early 80s – this time the Lonesome L.A. Cowboy vibes reflect the neon lights of New Wave, Paisley-Pop and Post Punk. Of the title, Rademaker commented: “it came to me in the middle of the night while listening to the Meat Puppets play live on the Howard Stern Radio Show”.
GospelbeacH formed in 2014, their sound harkening back to several eras of California music, from folk-rock and sunshine pop, to country-rock and the Paisley Underground and now they’ve decided to call it a day. The band has featured many California music luminaries, but at the centre of the spinning wheel is singer-guitarist Brent Rademaker, a veteran of the southern California rock scene and a founding member of iconic country-rock band Beachwood Sparks.
The band debuted with an album that paid homage to the spirit and sound of early-’70s Grateful Dead (2015’s “Pacific Surf Line”), followed up by 2017’s Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers-inspired “Another Summer of Love” (Voted Shindig Mag #1 Album of The Year). In 2019, the band added lush, Laurel Canyon-inspired sounds to the mix on their third LP “Let It Burn” and 2021’s “Jam Jam” EP found the band just as adept at bubblegum and glam-rock, notably on the single ‘Albatross Baby’.
Brent Rademaker, like fellow California-via-Florida emigré Tom Petty, appears to be a dreamer, a rebel and a disciple of anything that’s rock’n’roll. He formed Curation Records through the experience enjoyed with Beachwood Sparks. And Curation provides the home for GospelbeacH, who have settled into a partnership between Rademaker, keyboardist/producer Jon Niemann, guitarist Matt Hill, who stepped in after Neal Casal’s passing in 2019, and drummer Peter Williams. Pedal Steel/Guitar whiz Jake DeJongh. There is also a fine cast of classic cameos and young talent. Derwood Andrews (Generation X/Empire) and Bob Glaub (Jackson Browne/James Taylor) lend a hand. Pat Ralla and Joe Harvey White from UK’s The Hanging Stars, who also play with Edwyn Collins of Orange Juice and Lawrence (Felt, Mozart Estate), guest along with some of LA’s brightest up-and-comers, Mara Connor and Alex Koford.
Look out for a review here on AUK around its release date.
