Ahead of this Friday’s release of their new album Requiem for a Planet, Toronto-based sextet Beams have shared their new single “It’s All Around You,” alongside an animated video by Aaron Long (Bojack Horseman, Tuca and Bertie). A magnetic, fuzzed-out guitar riff launches the track into a kaleidoscopic, colorful sound-world, blossoming with kinetic percussion and impassioned vocals. Beams will also embark on a North American tour this Friday in celebration of the new album, including stops at NYC’s Bowery Electric (May 15th) and Chicago’s The Hideout (May 22nd); a full itinerary is listed below.
“‘It’s All Around You’ suggests that if you truly desire something, you’ll be connected to what you need, with the bigger idea that everything we need has always been right here on Earth,” explains lead vocalist/songwriter Anna Mērnieks-Duffield. “A lot of people don’t understand that the world we live in now hosts just a fraction of the life that was here with our ancestors – it’s hard for us to imagine living off the land, but the truth is, everything was set up very well for us when humanity evolved. For example, I’ve read about American chestnut trees, now extinct, that were so numerous that you could eat your way across the country. Up here in Canada, white pine trees over three feet wide were normal. The water was clean. Wildlife was abundant, bison roamed, cod teemed in masses on the east coast. There was food, shelter, clean water everywhere. Remembering what we’ve lost is the first step towards rebuilding a better future.”
Described succinctly as “a hike along Grief Mountain with scenic lookouts,” Requiem stakes out new sonic territory for the “darkly spellbinding” (American Songwriter) band. Recorded by Kevin S. McMahon (Swans, Real Estate, Titus Andronicus) at Marcata Recording—a 200-year-old barn at the base of the Shawangunk mountains in New Paltz, NY—Requiem is a world unto itself. Hypnotic vibraphone, purring amps, glistening guitars, and the pull of ghostly violin strings weave intoxicating soundscapes that create a sense of singular intimacy with the listener.
Beams Tour Dates:
05/03 – Owen Sound, ON – Heartwood Concert Hall
05/04 – Sarnia, ON – Maud’s
05/09 – Toronto, ON – The Garrison
05/10 – Kingston, ON – Hotel Wolfe Island
05/11 – Wakefield, PQ – Kaffe
05/13 – Montreal, PQ – La Sotterenea
05/14 – Worcester, MA – Ralph’s Diner
05/15 – New York, NY – Bowery Electric
05/16 – Philadelphia, PA – PhilaMoca
05/17 – Youngstown, OH – Westside Bowl
05/18 – Louisville, KY – Cave Valley Kava
05/19 – Cincinnati, OH – Northside Tavern
05/22 – Chicago, IL – The Hideout
05/23 – Milwaukee, WI – Cactus Club
05/24 – Windsor, ON – Phog Lounge
05/25 – London, ON – Palasad Social Bowl
05/26 – Barrie, ON – CW Coops
