A thing I love about how accessible music has become in the Internet age is how you can listen to one artist, but then find other similar artists that you like just as much. Spotify Premium is a godsend. I checked out a group called The Lemon Twigs (a group I'd like to talk about on this blog another time) last summer and got into them pretty deep. I then went on the usual search of finding groups like them and was directed to a band called Drugdealer. After listening to their great 2019 album "Raw Honey", which featured guest spots on multiple tracks, I noticed the 3rd song on the album featured Harley And The Hummingbirds. I thought that was a super interesting name so I looked them up too. What I found was that Harley And The Hummingbirds is actually just one man a British born, L.A. based musician who sought to preserve the organic sounds of the 60's and 70's through his own songs. Looking at pictures of Harley, you'd be forgiven for thinking he was a forgotten singer-songwriter from the early 70's.
I listened his first few EPs, which were all released in 2018, and I really dug the stripped down vintage pop Harley was bringing to the table. Lots of bands and artists who are influenced by older music, but not a lot of the time is it conveyed in a way that actually shows the influences. Usually it's retro but done in a modern way, or bands just dress up and have violin basses but not sound anything like the groups they're apparently honouring. Harley's music actually perfectly captures the retro aesthetic due to him not only recording with vintage gear, but also obviously having a true, genuine love of the time period he so lovingly recaptures.
So after 4 EPs of mostly acoustic (with some keyboard embellishments) material, Harley went to the next logical step for an artist, a full length LP with full instrumentation. Not only that, but his first LP is a concept album, according to Harley himself, "about love, fame and time travel". Amazingly enough, it also says that the entire record was recording using only a 2 track tape machine in his bedroom. You would think a bedroom recording, especially using only 2 tracks would sound super lo-fi, but this album's sound is rich, full and warm. The songs are catchy and stick with you. I may not understand the story completely. I gather it's about a guy who travels through time but realizes happiness was where he originally came from, but I could be completely mistaken. The inclusion of drums adds to give this a plentiful sound. There's really not a bad song on this record.
Harley isn't just a great musician and songwriter, but he's also a super nice guy. On a whim I messaged him on Instagram asking if there were any of his songs available online with chords and he told me no but then proceeded to send me the lyrics and chords to the title track. I wasn't expecting it but it was an extremely gracious thing for him to do. You all should go out and support him. He has all of his material for free on Bandcamp and Youtube so if you're interested, go check him out on those sites and get his listen/view count up!
Key Tracks: Future Superstar, ...Of You At Night, Out of Time, My Darling, Emily, Prelude, Goodbye
Oh my god Oh my god
Please don't take him out too far
You know he won't come back if he's this
Future Superstar
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