THE STRIPED BANANAS – Dreams Upon The Mast (2021, LP/CD Cosmic Sunshine Records)

RELEASE INFO:

Label: Cosmic Sunshine Records

Format: LP, Album, Limited Edition, Black Vinyl, Lyric Insert Sheet, 200 copies

Format: CD, Album, Eco-Wallet digital compact disc Frisbee, 125 copies

Release Date: 16 Jul 2021

Our beloved Indie-Psych Rock band from Connecticut, The Striped Bananas, released their 6^th album “Dreams Upon The Mast” just 13 months after the “Pictures I Hear” LP (June 2020) (check review here: – and an interview here:). The press release/Bio that follows the album reads:

“The Striped Bananas | A Short History

The Striped Bananas are a psychedelic indie rock band from Hartford, Connecticut consisting of husband and wife duo Duncan and Chantelle Shepard. They’ve been making albums that feature their signature vocal harmonies, fun tunes, and richly melodious production since 2012.

Their 2020 album, “Pictures I Hear”, was met with critical acclaim from press like Goldmine Magazine and Shindig! Magazine. Taking influence from Syd Barrett’s Pink Floyd, The Doors, and Badfinger, Duncan and Chantelle offer a modern yet introspective spin on classic sounds. Duncan explains “our goal is to offer something that will get your feet tapping and transport your mind to another place.” Harnessing the power of sitar, fuzz guitar, mellotron, and dulcimer, Duncan pushes the boundaries of modern indie rock into an exploration of sound. Chantelle provides the accompaniment backbone with her canorous Hammond organ and dulcet vocal harmonies. The new album is available on vinyl, cd, and digital download on their Bandcamp page (www.thestripedbananas.bandcamp.com)” 

“Dreams Upon The Mast” contains 12 little modern elegant songs, from 1:41 to 3:36 sec, grafted with some groovy indie psych-a-like maestri! The opener “Silver Heels” is a groovy rocker with dual male/female vocals, a pleasant song about a legendary dancer turned nurse in the Wild West. “Dr. Kane’s Arctic Expedition” is a lovely Pop-Psych tune drenched into a bittersweet melancholy and it’s a plaintive sequel song to 2020’s “Crimson Cliffs”. “Claudia Jennings” is a wonderful balladesque and kind of nostalgic tune, a power-pop tale about the Queen of B-movies. “Be An Ant” is a cool Poppy with interesting lyrics while “The Daredevil Of Niagara Falls” is a modern Indie Psych tune with a rich bluesy feeling and it’s about Chantelle’s uncle who went over Niagara Falls in a rubber ball in 1928. “The Wheatfield” is another pop-sike intriguing song while the self-titled “Dreams Upon the Mast” is an ethereal journey into finding your purpose in a lost world, a sentimental ballad with an autobiographical feel. “She Lives In The Sea (Of Colors)” is another beauteous Pop-Psych tune while “Run To The Night” is a heavy psychedelic rock song with a driving horn section, quite adventurous emerging a meloncolie psychness… “Strange Visions” has a distinctive dulcimer sound (that steals the show) and “Lonely Highway” is a cool soft tune filled with nostalgia. The album closes with “Lady Moonshine”, a gospel-chorus-like influenced tune that acts as the perfect ‘Good Night’ song. In conclusion, “Dreams Upon The Mast” is a glorious ensemble of short and comprehensive tunes where different kinds of feelings are becoming colorfully visible to the listener… TimeLord Michalis

Listen/Buy through THE STRIPED BANANAS Bandcamp

Check THE STRIPED BANANAS Web

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