Photo by Dessy Baeva
Birds Flying Backwards have brought alt-country, indie-folk and psych rock, shrouded in a 70s vibe, to the streets of London. Recognised for this unique offering from the release of their second EP in 2024, fans and tastemakers are finally treated to a full-length package, their first album, Lovebirds.
The natural steps of harmony and the rawness of performance leave the listener floating through a warming world of gorgeous vocal duets, dainty piano lines and a strong but friendly rhythm section. Though they wander across genre boundaries, they maintain the overall cohesiveness through the glow of nostalgia and effective arrangements. There’s nothing to soothe the soul than an album that feels homely and familiar on first listen, and that is undoubtedly what the band are presenting.
On the themes, the band explain, “Lovebirds is an ode to love in all its forms — romantic love, love for friends, familial love, heartbreak, and the process of learning to love yourself. Love feels more important than ever to us. Love, compassion and solidarity are powerful tools with which to oppose oppression, dehumanisation and a political elite intent on dividing us. Recorded entirely live over four days in early 2025, Lovebirds stands as a testament to the unifying power, enduring beauty and the profound but life-affirming sadness that love, in all its forms, inevitably brings.”
Formed of childhood friends and family around songwriter JR Sanders, the group have toured with The Hanging Stars in the past, but this project does feel like their moment. Catch them at shows and festivals across the coming weeks.
Check out the album for yourself here…
