Back in 2000, Beachwood Sparks put out a self-titled debut of dusty, psych/alt-country gems that’s aged quite well around here over the years. While the Los Angeles group bowed out after just one follow-up effort and EP, Chris Gunst, Brent Rademaker, Farmer Dave Scher, and Aaron Sperske have finally announced a third album — over a decade since their last Sub Pop release: The Tarnished Gold, 13 cuts said to reflect on their “struggle in terms of money, music and the lifestyle” following early success in L.A.’s Echo Park indie scene during the early ’00s. Featuring guest performers Ariel Pink, Jen Cohen, and Neal Casal, the record arrives on June 26, preceded by today’s preview of lead single “Forget the Song” below.
“Everybody thinks our dream would be to have a time machine and travel back to hang out with the Burrito Brothers,” Rademaker said. “That would be fun. Chris and I even used to joke about being Chris Hillman and Gram Parsons. ‘Which one am I? You don’t sound like Gram, and I don’t either.’ But you could picture Farmer Dave all the way back in the Gold Rush era — he’s got such an old spirit.”
That statement and the vintage Joshua Tree-ready look of their new promo shot above pretty much sum up anything I could hope to describe for new listeners. So, without further ado, grab the album details and beautifully bittersweet new tune:
The Tarnished Gold Tracklist
01. “Forget the Song”
02. “Sparks Fly Again”
03. “Mollusk”
04. “Tarnished Gold”
05. “Water from the Well”
06. “Talk About Lonesome”
07. “Leave That Light On”
08. “Nature’s Light”
09. “No Queremos Oro”
10. “Earl Jean”
11. “Alone Together”
12. “The Orange Grass Special”
13. “Goodbye”