Midtown Downtime

Description

Beefheart & McQuinn is the new project from British artist Moby Beefheart, aka William Murray (formerly of the British band Fur), and musician Winter McQuinn (Sunfruits, jade imagine), from Melbourne and Naarm. Their chance meeting over coffee immediately revealed an undeniable musical connection. Sharing a love of folk and rock sounds from days gone by, without falling into pastiche, Beefheart & McQuinn create contemporary psychedelic folk/soft rock, a rich sonic tapestry where vocal harmonies and technical mastery and production intertwine. “Midtown Downtime,” their debut album, explores the tensions between time and productivity in late capitalism. This ten-track album explores the genres of contemporary psychedelic folk/soft rock, with intricate vocal harmonies over syncopated guitars and occasional synth and drum interventions. The album’s sound, both familiar and unique, evokes Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Luke Temple/Carol King. Lyrically, the album explores a wide variety of themes, addressing the constraints of capitalism, the feeling of isolation and anxiety brought on by the current political context, as well as songs of love, friendship, and nostalgia. An intense energy permeates these 27 minutes, an energy in tune with the restlessness and dwindling attention span of our time. The album invites attentive, uninterrupted listening.