You begin to comprehend the immensity of a band’s influence when 30+ years after they originally formed, the band’s fans (yours truly included) still reminisce about the band’s best records and upstart bands still can’t avoid emulating that band’s sound.  Such is the case with the seminal band R.E.M. Their fans still debate the merits of Fables of the Reconstruction vs. Life’s Rich Pageant vs. Automatic For The People vs. Reckoning vs. Green vs. Murmur.  And bands across the land still break out their Rickenbackers and jangle-on as if they were the audible progeny of Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe and Bill Berry (or the Byrds or the Hollies if you wanna go way back).

One such band is Athen’s (where else?) Futurebirds.  You can hear Fables of the Reconstruction-era jangle on their new song (and video below) Serial Bowls off of their bountiful second album Baba Yaga on Fat Possum.  Futurebirds are not, however, mere R.E.M. emulators.  Their sound is a masterful mix of real country (aided and abetted by the pedal steel of Dennis Love–listen to him on album-closer St. Summercamp—and the discernible twang of their vocals), harder rock elements and four-part harmonies. You might also hear the sonorities of Band of Horses (especially), Drive-By Truckers, Crazy Horse, My Morning Jacket, a bit of The National, and yes even the Beach Boys (listen to Heavy Weights) at moments.  Add to all of this some serious and seriously well-wrought lyrics, and you have a band well worth your attention and adulation.  While there’s nothing new under the sun here, every single song resonates.  We also hear that live they take their songs to even higher heights, and can’t wait to catch them (they are currently on tour with Band of Horses–check the tour dates HERE).  We’ll have more on their album Baba Yaga later.  In the meantime, check out Serial Bowls below.  And go stream the entire new album HERE.