“Psychedelic country” is a term that PR people like to throw around these days. From what I can tell, it’s simply a catch-all for anything that has twang but is experimental, and calling it prog-country would be extremely alienating. Steev Richter’s Beloved is both psychedelic and country in the classic senses of both words. Richter’s songwriting is expansive and demonstrates a soul who searches far and wide to live life to the fullest (sometimes even with the aid of psychedelics.)
Musically, the album evokes the warmth and layering of a 70s country album, but the band gives the tunes a crispness that make the album unmistakably of our time, even though the messages are timeless. If you’re feeling a little lost, Beloved will help you find your anchor. It reminds us that the answers are within reach if only we relinquish control, and that there is a beauty and fundamental mystery to this strange life we live. And since we’ve only got this one (as far as we know) we should take full advantage. That may sound like a bunch of platitudes coming from me, but Richter’s mellow, authoritative delivery makes it into the gospel truth.
Steev Richter — Official, Facebook, Bandcamp
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