The debut album 'The Mountain Moves' from Treetop Flyers – who named themselves after a Stephen Stills song – effortlessly captures the spirit of late-1960s west coast pop-rock: the Byrds, America, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.
Comprised of Reid Morrison (vocals/guitar), Sam Beer (guitar/vocals), Laurie Sherman (guitar), Mathew Staritt (bass/vocals) and lone American Tomer Danan (drums/vocals), the band's songs are strewn with sunshine infused four-part harmonies propelled by an irresistible open-highway groove. Paying their dues to everyone from Neil Young and The Band by way of Little Feat and Fleetwood Mac, there are also gracious nods towards the more contemporary likes of My Morning Jacket.
Ostensibly named after the Stephen Stills song 'Treetop Flyer", the band's name also references the similarly-titled low altitude of American pilots who fought in Vietnam. "When the war was over they were forgotten about and came back to a country that had nothing for them. So they formed their own club, did work crop dusting, and banded together," explains Sam. "I felt that that represented us a bit." Before Treetop Flyers got together in 2009, all five band members were entrenched in the West London scene, gigging locally in different acts, watching the likes of Adele, Florence Welch, Laura Marling, and Mumford & Sons climb the charts. "We all met on the periphery of that scene," says Sam.
Tune-in to KSUT Friday at noon to hear 'The Mountain Moves' in its entirety.
