| Sky Island | ||
|---|---|---|
 | ||
| Studio album by Yawning Sons | ||
| Released | March 26 2021 | |
| Recorded | at Various | |
| Genre | Desert Rock, Stoner Rock, Psychedelic | |
| Length | 45:27 | |
| Label | Ripple Music | |
| Producer | Yawning Sons | |
| Yawning Sons chronology | ||
| Legends Of The Desert (DesertFest Vol. IV) (2018) |
Sky Island (2021) |
TBA (TBA) |
Sky Island is the second studio album by the collaborative desert rock project known as Yawning Sons.
A collaborative between Gary Arce of Yawning Man and Sons of Alpha Centauri, Sky Island would be recorded at various studios in the late 2010s. Notably it would feature the same guests as the prior album (2009's Ceremony To The Sunset) in Mario Lalli, Scott Reeder and Wendy Rae Fowler, along with Dandy Brown (Hermano, Orquesta del Desierto, The Fizz Fuzz).
Sky Island would be released on CD and Vinyl via Ripple Music on 26 March 2021 to critical acclaim.
Background[]
Development on Sky Island would begin with Arce and Sons of Alpha Centauri recording at the following studios:
- Tracks 1 and 4 would be recorded at Squarehead Studios in Sittingbourne, Kent, England with Robert Charles Wilks.
- Tracks 2, 3, 5, 7 and 8 would be recorded at Desert Sky Studios in Joshua Tree with Clive Wright.
- Track 6 would be recorded at Red Barn Studio in Morongo Valley with Gar Robertson and in The Sanctuary in Banning with Scott Reeder.
In 2020 Yawning Sons would sign with Ripple Music, with details on the album surfacing in early 2021.[1][2] Sky Island would see release on 26 March 2021 on CD and Vinyl, along with a special limited vinyl edition with exclusive photos and a 3" CD with remixes.[3]
Sky Island would attain critical praise. Gary Cordwell, writing for The Midlands Rocks, would praise the album, closing with the following statement: "I’m pretty sure that ‘Sky Island’ will resurface in December on my albums of the year shortlist. It’s a delicate beauty – dynamic, evocative, relaxing and the perfect soundtrack for a lazy Summer evening. Just pop it on, pour a drink and watch the sun go down.".[4] Invisible Oranges, when premiering the record, would state "Sky Island is also an engaging rock record that can be shown to uninitiated friends without having to explain three different genres beforehand (though it might send them down the rabbit hole that is the Palm Desert scene). No matter your familiarity with the history, Sky Island is an album that you can get lost in, and one that creates its own plane of existence for you to experience it in.".[5]
Tom Crandle, writing for New Noise Magazine and awarding four stars, would notably praise the drum performances of Stevie B and Kyle Hanson, praised "Adrenaline Rush" as a strong start and praising Wendy Rae Fowler's vocal performance on "Shadows and Echoes".[6] Carl Fisher, writing for GBHBL and awarding a perfect 10/10 score, would speak highly of all eight songs and state that "They could sell this as massage treatment such is the incredible relaxation capabilities of it.".[7]
Other notable reviews of Sky Island would include the likes of Echoes and Dust,[8] Outlaws of The Sun,[9] Metal Temple (8/10),[10] Rock Sins (9/10),[11] Monster Riff (8/10)[12] and The Sleeping Shaman.[13]
Tracklist[]
All songs written by Yawning Sons.
- 1. Adrenaline Rush (4:18)
- 2. Low in The Valley (7:46)
- 3. Cigarette Footsteps (8:00)
- 4. Passport Beyond The Tides (5:09)
- 5. Shadows and Echoes (4:15)
- 6. Digital Spirit (3:43)
- 7. Gravity Underwater (4:59)
- 8. Limitless Artefact (7:17)
Personnel[]
Yawning Sons[]
- Gary Arce - Electric Guitar (1 - 3, 5 - 8)
- Marlon King - Guitar (All Tracks); Vocals (1); Organ (3, 7); Bongos (6); Mixing
- Nick Hannon - Bass Guitar (1 - 3, 5 - 8)
- Blake - Effects (4)
- Stevie B - Drums (1)
- Kyle Hanson - Drums (2, 3, 5 -8)
- Dandy Brown - Vocals (2, 7)
- Mario Lalli - Vocals (3)
- Wendy Rae Fowler - Vocals (5)
- Scott Reeder - Vocals (6); Vocal Engineer, Guitar Engineer (6)
- Dawn Brown - Backing Vocals (7); Photography
Other Personnel[]
- Sons of Alpha Centauri - Case Construction
- Robert Charles Wilks - Engineer (1, 4)
- Clive Wright - Engineer (2, 3, 5, 7, 8)
- Gar Robertson - Engineer (6)
- John McBain - Mastering
- Katrin Sallfrank - Photography
- Mike Mantra - Photography
- Phil Rapley - Photography
- Mike Smalley - Photography
- Dave Smith - Photography