ARCH GARRISON, the ‘other’ project of North Sea Radio Orchestra’s Craig Fortnam, have a rather lovely album of pastoral psych-folk, The Bitter Lay, out tomorrow on Believer’s Roast.
It’s an album steeped in the landscape of the chalk downs; of spindle-whorls turned up by the plough, of seemingly endless old drove roads cresting the ridges; huge skies, intimate coombes, arable oceans; the scent of history everywhere.
We reviewed it in full here and were pleased to also note that this, Arch Garrison’s third album, ” … takes the deep English song of the chalk downs, burrows deep inside its DNA and also spins it off in pastoral psych new routes. Beguiling and enveloping.”
Today they’re exclusively premiering the video for one of the album’s standout tracks, “Open My Eye”, here at Backseat Mafia. You can watch below.
You’ll hear a beautiful sidestep into warm psych-country. There’s the smell of summer hay and the spice of foliage giving off its sunset scent in the shimmer. But there’s always, always, history looking over your shoulder in this country, as you’ll find in the lyrics.
Craig and his musical partner in the Arch Garrison pinfold, James Larcombe, said: “The video was shot on or aroundabouts the ancient Ridgeway path on the chalk of the Berkshire Downs.
“The song is about Craig’s attachment to that particular terrain and the death of loved ones, who now reside either in the chalk or in the stream”.
Further to the release of the album tomorrow – you can find more details and to-purchase links just above the video – Arch Garrison will be streaming a free-to-air live performance this Saturday evening at 8pm, British Summer Time.
The performance is being hosted by Visual Radio Arts and may be enjoyed via the medium of Facebook Live; more details are available here. Come along on a late summer’s dusk for some excellent musicianship and some great songs.
Arch Garrison’s The Bitter Lay will be released tomorrow on digital, CD and limited heavyweight vinyl formats by Believer’s Roast. You can order your copy at Arch Garrison’s Bandcamp page.
