A New GospelbeacH Album Announcement Gives Us Sunshine During These Cold Winter Months

Brent Rademaker and company are back in April with 'Wiggle Your Fingers'

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Regular newsletter readers know that GospelbeacH is one of my favorite bands, and I’m happy to report that we’ve got a release date for their new album, Wiggle Your Fingers! With a new single and new video in “Hang Thyme,” the ‘beacH let us know that we’ll get a set of ten new songs on April 26. Perfect “thyming” for some sunny spring listening.

The The Decline Of The Western Civilization-inspired “Hang Thyme” video follows the already-released double singles “I’ll Close My Eyes” and “York Blvd., which I had this to say about last July:

We frequently talk about Curation Records in the newsletter (Uni Boys, Triptides, Those Pretty Wrongs, Freeman DeJongh, Sean Thompson, Farmer Dave and the Wizards of the West, and so many more), but it’s been too long since we’ve heard new tunes from where it all started with GospelbeacH.

“I’ll Close My Eyes” and “York Blvd.” are great reintroductions to the world of Brent Rademaker (Beachwood Sparks/Further), who fronts GospelbeacH and founded the label. The band’s lineup is constantly changing, and so is their sound - they’ve dipped into so many classic American sounds, from a Workingman’s Dead’s era Grateful Dead to Tom Petty, before dipping into a charming EP of glam rock and bubblegum covers in 2021. 

Through all eras, though, there’s no denying Rademaker’s Southern California stylings, and these new double singles are his twangiest yet. “I’ll Close My Eyes” is a gorgeous throwback country-rock ballad look at mortality featuring lovely harmonies from Mara Connor. Meanwhile, “York Blvd.” is a lighthearted tribute to Rademaker’s neighborhood - since I heard the song a week ago, I’ve had the chorus of “Chihuahuas, they’re everywhere in sight, chihuahuas, just who is walking who tonight?” running through my head while I continuously encounter the same situation here in Santa Fe.

In addition to Connor’s harmonies, the tracks also feature GospelbeacH now regular Jon Niemann on keys and production duties, Pete Williams on drums, and the above-mentioned Jake Dejongh (hi, it’s me once again asking you to listen to last month’s Dreadful Feelings). We also have two totally tubular appearances from legendary session bassist Bob Glaub (Warren Zevon, Stevie Nicks, Jackson Browne, and what seems like another hundred notable credits) and Generation X’s Derwood Andrews, who lends some steel guitar to “I’ll Close My Eyes.”

Add the homage to The Last Picture Show on the cover, and I’m all in, man.

If you’re not familiar with GospelbeacH, I highly recommend doing your homework ahead of the new record’s release. Their debut, Pacific Surf Line, is a great starting point, and I’m most partial to Another Summer of Love.

Are you a fan of GospelbeacH/Beachwood Sparks/Further, etc.? Let’s talk about it in the comments!