Beaulieu Porch… Some front

Review: Beaulieu Porch – Beaulieu Porch

Published on February 6th, 2013 | Jonny Abrams

Salisbury songsmith Simon Berry decided to grant the eponymous debut of his Beaulieu Porch project a proper release after if wound its way into several Best of 2012 lists, so clearly the guy’s doing something right. Having now feasted on the succulent psych-pop morsels within, Rocksucker can only add to the plaudits.

Opener “Laminations are Loaded” could almost have been one of the rockier numbers off The Who Sell Out, kicking your mind open like so many obtrusive doors in order that the ensuing tide of Tame-Impala-meets-Boo-Radleys rush-pop be allowed to infuse itself into your cerebral cortex in a way that genuinely merits mention alongside such illustrious names. Berry’s milky, slightly strained vocals satisfy throughout, and his appetite for tempestuous psych-pop* sits so yummily in our tummy that we can only implore fans of either of the aforementioned bands to drop what they’re doing and investigate immediately.

(* Wanted: 1 x synonym for ‘psych-pop’)

C’mon Kids, The Boos’ still-astonishing and flippin’ noisy 1996 reaction to mainstream success, is channelled quite uncannily by “Navy Blue” while factoring an element of ‘contemplative Supergrass‘ into its majestic chord progression, and Berry’s fertile muse is further evidenced by the ruddy great stomp of “Keep on Screaming”, the mystical fingerpicking of “Sweden” and the beautiful, Beatles-y voyage of “Greencroft Street”.

Furthermore, in “Raspberry Babies” he looks to have served up a better Black Rebel Motorcycle Club comeback single than BRMC themselves. Beaulieu Porch may be ploughing a DIY furrow but the music itself has far too much about it to be anchored to the realm of the amateur.

Rocksucker says: Four Quails out of Five!

a quail a quail a quail a quail

Beaulieu Porch is out now on Tillsammans Records. For more information, please visit beaulieuporch.com

Artists: beaulieu porch

About the Author

Jonny Abrams Editor of Rocksucker and the website's founder, Jonny is passionate about the music he listens to, both good and bad, as well as interviewing his favourite musicians.