Uniting the sun-kissed folk-rock of the ‘70s West Coast scene with the grittier edge of modern Americana, Belle Roscoe are poised to make a big impression in 2023, starting with today’s release of their new single ‘The Birds’. The track will feature on their new EP ‘Talking To The Walrus’ which follows later this year, with both releases coming via a new deal with Regent Street Records.  Listen below.

Centred around the beautifully intertwined vocal harmonies of siblings Matty and Julia Gurry, ‘The Birds’ sets out with a haunting, spacious take on dusky Americana. But as the duo dive deeper into the song, it takes flight with a magnetic and melodic guitar solo heightening its melancholy mood as it escalates its intensity. Lyrically it presents a simple but engaging metaphor: the migration of birds in flight is a natural wonder; yet the growing need for people to move en masse in pursuit of essential resources is an issue that’s only going to grow in significance as the years pass. 

Belle Roscoe commented, “‘The Birds’ is a song about human flight as a consequence of the impending climate crisis, in particular the fate of refugees. This song is a call to arms to all human-kind to look out for one another, to look after the planet and to not leave anyone behind.”

Expect to see Belle Roscoe share an accompanying video for ‘The Birds’ soon. It will continue the story of their spirit animal, a walrus named Mojo, as he seeks to overcome the issues discussed in the song. Mojo was the central character in their video for their previous track ‘Soho Shoes’, which featured animated tributes to musicians including Father John Misty, Patti Smith, Stormzy, Nick Cave and Childish Gambino.

Both songs will feature on the ‘Talking To The Walrus’ EP. The duo recorded it at The Bomb Shelter in Nashville just before the first lockdown, calling on high-end collaborators including the Grammy Award winning producer Matt Ross-Spang (Jason Isbell, Margo Price, Calexico), members of The Alabama Shakes and 400 Unit, and engineering from the studio’s owner Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes, Phosphorescent). A key element of achieving the EP’s warm, naturalistic live sound was recording 100% analogue and direct to tape.

Originally from Melbourne and now based in London, Belle Roscoe have been making music together since childhood. That close connection has given them a rare musical intuition, and has allowed them to  establish the exact sound that they wanted to achieve. Their early releases have included a collab with the ‘70s icon France Gall, an inventive fresh take on The Stones Roses’ anthem ‘I Am The Resurrection’ and an impassioned version of John Lennon’s ‘Working Class Hero’. Meanwhile, notable live moments have included several sets at the Australian Pavilion during Expo 2020 Dubai (which was rescheduled to 2022) and a one-day tour of London’s River Lea during lockdown, during which their four-piece band played three sets on top of a narrowboat, Isle of Wight Festival and the Cannes Film Festival.

Citing artists such as Fleetwood Mac, Gene Clark, Neil Young and Khruangbin as influences, the duo are now set to connect with a new global following, After recently playing a showcase at the Camden Club hosted by their label, Belle Roscoe will headline the Camden Assembly on March 18th. Tickets are available here.

Author: Adam Bailey

Adam is a regular contributor for established press release distribution website Release-News.com. He writes on a wide range of topics including music.