Douglas McLean chats with Beams for his latest Sound Cafe Podcast, they chat about their album 'Ego Death' which is a testament to the healing, uplifting and insightful power of music and musical partnership, and they talk about lots more.
You can listen to the entire interview and music HERE
Beams is a psych-folk band formed in Toronto in 2012. The group have worked with noted producers John McEntire (Tortoise, Broken Social Scene, Yo La Tengo) and Grammy winner Peter J. Moore (Dylan & The Band, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell).
Beams’ new album Ego Death is a testament to the healing, uplifting and insightful power of music and musical partnership. Based loosely on the ancient patterns “the Hero’s Journey”, Beam’s takes the listener on a voyage of profound discovery. Released March 26, 2021, Ego Death has been hailed as an album for the ages.
FEATURED SONGS:
Sweet Tea
Born to Win
Break Glass
Find Me
Ego Death sees Beams moving in a bold new sonic direction – one that puts loud guitars centre-stage, but still makes room for the airy acoustic instrumentation that defined its sound until now. This evolution was the result of singer/songwriter Anna Mernieks-Duffield choosing to move from banjo to electric guitar and take a bigger role at centre stage — a move supported by the rest of the band. Anna and vocalist Heather Mazhar’s harmonies remain Beams’ calling card, while the psychedelic textures blend with irresistible melodies to transport listeners to a higher plane.
The lyrics also take you on a journey: Ego Death is a narrative song cycle inspired by the concept of the “hero’s journey” or mono-myth. The archetypal heroic adventure, in which the protagonist goes on a journey from which they come back forever changed, resonated with Anna as she set off on her own quest. Ongoing mental health challenges had previously threatened her partnership with Beams drummer, Mike Mernieks-Duffield.
Website: beamstheband.com
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