The story is that myself and Miss C were in Dundee's Doghouse one night, not for a gig but just to be there, and there happened to be a band playing. Onstage were two females singing, one occasionally playing a small array of percussion and a drum, the other, together with a bloke playing assorted guitars. What came out of that PA system was jaw-dropping – the voices of two angels set to this awesome sound, all akin to a mix of The Roches and vintage Velvet Underground. I was just transfixed to it all and sat down while Miss C was whirling around the Doghouse dancefloor to the incredible songs that this band were pouring out. Afterwards, I raced up, said “hi”, bought the album (sod any thoughts of promos for the radio or review or anything like that – this had to be had!!) and showed it to Miss C (we didn't have the funds to buy her a copy – lol). Found out the band are from Glasgow and called Haight-Ashbury – couldn't have been anything else when you think about it.
So here we are – many weeks later. I've played this thing so often, it's a wonder I've not worn it out.
The band are Jennifer Ashbury and Kirsty Heather Ashbury on vocals, the former also on drum and percussion, the latter on bass, while Scott James Ashbury takes care of the guitars and sitar.
The album starts with drifting voices over a silent guitars before you hear this slightly faster paced heartbeat from the bass and drum as the female vocals enter and the scene is set – dual angelic voices with a hint of darkness sounding just fantastic, soaring over the rhythm as the song drives forward, the mix of full-sounding vocals over the stark drama of the instrumentation, a true delight. Then all of a sudden,. It takes a twist – the rhythm subsides, the vocals repeat this refrain, thye die away to leave a strummed acoustic guitar and a resonant sitar as the angelic voices return to drift over the psychedelic cosmos with a high-flying verse of great beauty. Abruptly, the mood is shattered as the main body of the song returns, this time accompanied by a mighty fuzz guitar and now it's both gorgeous and massive as the song flows. It briefly subsides to a new cosmos for only a few seconds before ending with a decelerated vocal that moves to the previous angelic cosmos, only this time set against acoustic guitar, the sitar and what sounds like a drifting synth but is probably a guitar, as it ends gracefully. But then you get “Mothers Ruin (Mother's Little Helper)” - straight away, there's a drumbeat then this massive slice of fuzz guitar and deep bass before cymbals crash and the dual vocals enter with a song that's just amazing. The vocals drive ahead on top of the mighty backing. The verse then rises up into a chorus that will have the hairs standing up on the back of your neck as the huge sounding instrumental canvas is joined by more guitar, tambourine and percussion. The song takes another twist into an altogether darker set of verses with splashing instrumental dramatics, as it morphs right back into that sea of choruses and the female vocalists sound as though there's about ten of them, as the song once again rides out and intensifies before finally ending on just lone voices and gentle guitar – it's fan – freakin' – tastic!!! “Molitof” ushers in the vocals over sitar as a sinuous vocal weaves its way over acoustic guitar and sitar. The whole thing then lurches into life as the tale of love and darkness unfolds over the guitars and percussion explosion before settling back into the even darker verse as lead and harmony vocals alternate over the ever changing backdrop before the song takes off into the chorus once more and that fuzz guitar-led tidal wave of instrumentation crashes forth, the whole thing changing shape as it travels without losing sight of its strength, depth and foundations. So far, everything is loaded with emotion while the mix of angelic voices, psychedelic drama and that dark intensity, lift you to such a degree that you're just hypnotized by it all, wrapped up in a world the likes of which you've not previously heard.
“Sympathetic Strings” is a psychedelic march of a song that initially comes across like a call to arms as the angelic choir rises up against sitar and percussion summons you to prayer before the song twists into a more heavenly realm and the feel of supreme peace never sounded so mighty. Then, all of a sudden, the darkness descends as fuzz guitar blast and dual lead vocals take it into another place only for the song then to revert right back to the march of angels – their arranging skills are awesome – as the singers float you to the final resting place. “Preacher” is the other side of the angelic coyne as the dual harmonies provide the warning that you'll pay for your sins, a wondrous choir set over deep bass, tambourine, deeper guitar and strident percussion. The song lifts off and lifts you up as the density of instrumentation increases and the singers produce this ever more transfixing vocal performance that is simply stunning. “Alphalpha” is more cosmic initially before the march begins once more, this time the heavenly vocals set against a driving force of guitars, fuzz guitars, mighty bass, crashing drums and percussion as it all powers ahead with fire and passion, then into silent serenity, before ending in a flare of vocals and feedback. “Don't Let Your Music Die” is set in 2 parts, although there seem to be more as the crashing flow of vocals and instruments weaves among starker darkness and drifting vocals, as heaven meets earth set in a hellfire instrumental backdrop and the effect is as emotionally satisfying as it is dynamically dramatic. The second part flows more as the angel voices provide a driving song with buckets of emotion that fly over the shuddering percussion and drums, aided by guitars and bass, eventually ending in a lengthy sea of serene calm that is positively breathtaking. “Favourite Song” is The Roches set to psychedelic sixties as the most overtly commercial song so far is a slice of psych-pop that only this band could deliver so successfully a the instruments march a seventies-styled mix of Medicine Head and John Otway while the angelic lead and harmony vocals give you a song that not only sticks in your head but is a pop sensation full of twists yet never straying from its heady chorus and verses, totally stunning. “Million Man March” is yet another gem of a composition, the song doing everything you'd expect of this band, moving from heavenly to all-out power in the blink of an eye, the mix of driving bass, driving fuzz guitar and percussion backing this towering sea of angelic vocals, something that will change your life forever. “Little Birds” is a predominantly acoustic song that flares out into electrifying intensity on occasion while possessing a choral hook that will be the one more than any that will stick in your head as the shimmering heat and acoustic fragility mix to perfection on another gem of a song. “Beauty” is a slower song that's probably the darkest one on the album, more brooding but still managing to mix the electric flare with the haunting silence as the vocals slide and glide on a song that's really hypnotic. The album ends with the bizarrely titled “£ Song Suite (Indigo)” as the song returns almost to the way it began only here with the heavenly voices starting on cloud 9 against a delicate instrumental backing before the guitars gather, the percussion crashes gently in, the drum thuds and the mix of angelic choruses, alternate cosmic and dramatic instrumental backings flows along on a song that gradually intensifies but never becomes less than awesomely sublime as the soaring vocals lift off over the ever rising tide of guitars and the effect to end an album, is nothing short of absolutely spellbinding.
So, there you have it – this is one of the most awesome albums I've heard in the last ten years let alone on the Scottish indie scene – you have to see them play live and I can't wait for that day to happen again here in Dundee – for now, this album will become ever more worn out.