Having had a break from making music over 10 years, North Wales Indie-Psych Band Holy Coves are set to release their highly anticipated 3rd album Druids and Bards an album that evokes memories of 60s psychedelic and garage rock brought up to date with a modern fresh twist.
The 9 track album was written by the bands frontman Scott Marsden and was recorded at Penhesgyn Hall Studio, Menai Bridge, Isle of Anglesey.
Through long time friend and Producer David Wrench, ‘Holy Coves’ were put in touch with Texan Producer Erik Wofford (The Black Angels / Explosions In The Sky), building a magical working relationship, where Woffford found himself on mixing and mastering duties, to create this wonderful album.
Here’s our track by track preview:
I‘ve always felt that the first track on album, needs to be a real statement and a sign of what’s to come, across the remaining tracks. On Away We Go, Holy Coves have done exactly that. It demonstrates the bands penchant for writing catchy psych drenched pop. The pounding drums and rumbling bass lines drive this song along. The chorus is anthemic and sees the songs tempo quicken will get the feet nodding.
The Hurt Within was the bands first single release after their time away from making music. You can feel the emotion and pain in the vocals. As a result of the vocal, the lyrics have an autobiographical feel about them:
“I thought I’d healed my skin
Her love is cruel
It hurts within
How i thought I’d healed my skin
Her love is cruel
The hurt within”
Grey is a shimmering, psychedelic pop song, full of energy and will immediately have your head nodding along. The track starts off with energetic pounding drums, which gives the song it’s energy, before these intricate hazy guitar hooks join us, evoking memories the early 90s shoegazing scene and late summer nights.
Small and Nothing is 60s garage rock at it‘a finest. It’s a 4 minute monster and we gave it an airing on the ThisIsTheMusic Rise of The Indie Artists show (listen from around 13 minutes) It‘a full of blistering guitar riffs and it’s proper foot stomper that will leave you wanting to press that repeat button for another play.
Another Day sees the tempo drop, whilst maintaining the spirit of the garage rock and psychedelic pop/rock that forms the backdrop of the album. The lyrics are relatable
Desert Storm was my entry point into the Holy Coves and it had me hooked instantly. Released as a single back in April, Desert Storm is a mid-tempo, foot-stomping anthem, which moulds itself it a psychedelic odyssey, full of hazy vocals and hypnotic droney guitar riffs that create a dark and moody soundscape, but with a hint of optimism. The lyrics on this track outline Marsden’s struggles of keeping a troubled relationship together while suffering from severe drug addiction.
“Look how far we’ve come
We’ve only just begun
You’re holding onto me
But I’m so far gone”
Welcome to the Real World is probably the most experimental song on the album. There’s slide guitar, stomping drums, soaring guitar riffs and 60s influenced organs. Having overcome addictions, the lyrics on this track explore trying to stay on the straight and narrow and avoiding temptation.
Until I Fall is an upbeat and breezy track. The guitar hooks chime and the bass line is really prevalent. It has a real stomping vibe about it for the most part, with a subtle key change towards the songs outro, which increases the songs pace.
Taste The Wine is the albums longest track at over 7 and half minutes and for the first half of the song, is built around acoustic guitar, a simple drum pattern and vocals. As the tracks progresses, electric guitar hooks join in, which ensures the song starts to build into this epic of soaring guitars, which wouldn’t sound out of place in a stadium. It’s a great way to end the album.
Druids and Bairds is a fantastic record. It’s full of emotion, grit and honesty and is a real powerful and inspiring album. There are big psychedelic rock moments, along with softer tender moments too. This is a rousing and euphoric album, that is firmly an album of the year contender.
Druids and Bairds is released on Friday 14th October via Yr Wyddfa Records and can be pre-saved/ordered here or alternatively head over to the bands Bandcamp page, where you’ll receive 4 tracks ahead of release. Details of the Vinyl and CD orders will follow soon.
ThisIsTheMusic 
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