Was this the internet’s best kept secret so far? If you don’t know about it, you won’t come across it, and if you are aware of its existence, you won’t be able to find it. Be may be a potent band name and Here is a fitting album title, but Google, Spotify, Bandcamp or Soundcloud don’t bring it up when you search for it there – a shame, because this music deserves your attention.
Be is the orchestral art-rock project of Californian abstract artist and Hawk bandleader David Hawkins, also featuring Morgan Fisher, Paul Von Mertens, Pete Thomas and Gary Louris (rock luminaries that you can find online). Here is their psychedelic-tinged third album, lush and intricately inspired by The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds and dedicated to Brian Wilson, but you’ll also hear influences from The Beatles, The Kinks and The Velvet Underground. Its fifteen songs are warm and rich, cosmic and mystical, dreamy and touching – built up layer after layer after layer during the pandemic, slowly but surely perfected to bring light in dark times – with enchanting harmony vocals, instrumental extravagance and a sun-kissed 60s feel. There’s a lot going on and it’s probably not for everyone, but my advice would be to immerse yourself in Be’s Here with headphones on, only to take them off as a different person.
Here is out now digitally and on CD (self-released). There, a companion album featuring Hawkins’ recordings with The Master Musicians of Jajouka, is due out next year.
Add to wantlist: Bandcamp