It’s difficult to introduce Bastard Mountain without using the term supergroup. The band is comprised of a whole host of talented musicians from some really great Scotland-based bands; Pete Harvey and Neil Pennycook from Meursault, Jill Sullivan from Sparrow & the Workshop, Rory Sutherland from Broken Records, Reuben Taylor from James Yorkston & the Athletes and Rob St. John (of Eagleowl, Meursault, Woodpigeon and well… Rob St. John).
Back in October 2012, Pennycook, Sullivan and St. John each provided three songs (both old and new), one to be sung by themselves, and one each for the other two to sing. They then wrote and recorded the music, and Farewell, Bastard Mountain was born. The collaborative and semi-improvised nature of the writing/recording process (along with the fact the majority of the record was recorded in a live setting, after only hours of rehearsal), lend a natural air to things. It shows what can be achieved when a group of talented artists and friends have even just a short period to create something.
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As you might expect, fans of any of the bands mentioned are going to love this. It is packed full of the textured folk slash indie rock that these bands have made their own over the past several years. For me, Pennycook’s trademark vocals take centre stage, but perhaps that is because Meursault are my favourite band of the lot.
The vinyl has been pressed without breaks between tracks, so the entire album plays as one cohesive piece of music.
Farewell, Bastard Mountain is due for release on the 12th of May. You can pre-order it now via Song, By Toad Records. I highly suggest you do so.
There are also two album release shows, one at London’s Shhh! Festival on May the 24th, and another north of the border in Queen’s Hall in Edinburgh on May the 29th.