f you were to come up to me a year or two ago and inform me that in the future I would enjoy and appreciate country music in some way, I would have laughed at you. Yet, here I am; I now own a couple of Wilco CDs, enjoy the Byrds’ country-rock period, and can fully admit that I really rather like Patsy Cline. And then of course, there’s Beachwood Sparks. Their 2000 debut on Sup Pop was quite good, but somehow it lacked a certain consistency. However, their sophomore effort, Once We Were Trees, truly begins to show maturity in terms of both songwriting and even something as simple as organization.

Once We Were Trees is an album that is very much reflective of its own cover art: hazy, dreamy, and...well, green. The album opens with the half-minute “Germination” which serves little purpose aside from providing an introduction to the album as well as a reference point to the title track. However, without looking at the change of tracks, it’s easy to merely see it as the beginning of the second song, “Confusion is Nothing New” – one in a set of the albums slower, dreamier songs. And of course, the album has its fair mix of more upbeat tracks. Despite the mix of upbeat and mellow tracks on Once We Were Trees, there is a general underlying feeling to the album. It may be a simple unifying idea, but that is one of the reasons why I like the album so much. All of the little psychedelic flourishes, the bits of lyrics that become audible at the right times, and the dreamy nature to the music reflect the general sensation of someone being tired of it all to the point where you just want peace. In other words, it is a very calming collection of songs.

One could make the argument that the final product tries too hard to emulate the sounds of the late ‘60s country-rock movement heralded by such groups as the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers. Statements like that, I feel, underestimate the band. Beachwood Sparks is a group of obviously talented musicians. What’s more, they come off as honest and not simply ‘paying homage’ to their ‘60s forefathers in the way that some of the more generic Elephant 6 bands tend to do. The album is extremely well produced, catchy, and a joy to listen to. In some ways, such as the melancholy guitar and melody of “The Good Night Whistle”, it is even charming and pretty. The album ends in much the same way as it started. The title track begins with a redone version of the first intro track, “Germination”, and proceeds into a swirling, distortion-laden finale. With Once We Were Trees, Beachwood Sparks has constructed a set of shimmering pop songs using those ‘60s bands as a reference point. Hopefully in the future they will only continue to evolve as a band.