The Bures Band

Without a doubt one of my favorite new bands to land on the speakers over the past few years, Aussie outfit The Bures Band rides the Cosmic American wind better than quite a few of their Western counterparts. Growing out of Stephen Bailey’s post Mt. Mountain work (notably the 2022 gem G.G. Ryder) the band slides into their sophomore LP on the sun-dappled heels of an indispensable debut. That album found far too few shouting about it Stateside, but here’s hoping the heads take notice this time around. Digging deep into the edges of cosmic ‘70s country and folk sounds, the band takes a natural stab at Byrdsian harmonies and hits gold, but they conjure up visions of quite a few of the unsung heroes of the hash ranch as well. Deeper crate diggers who find Sand, Help Yourself, Cowboy, Country Funk, and UK purveyors of vocal gold, Starry Eyed and Laughing on their turntable should find a lot to chew on here.

Bailey’s hardly alone at the helm as the band brings together an ensemble cast that includes Callum Anderson, Noah Symmans, Danny Miles, and Tom Beech. Bures’ easy rapport proves one of their best assets, and Fool Circle shines because the band feels like they’re relishing every harmony and hook. The group followed last year’s Birds Nest quickly with a AA single “The Pilot/“A New Day,” that proved they had much more mellow gold to mine, quelling any fears that the debut would deplete their stash of songs. Both tracks surface on the new album, but they’re hardly lonesome with a packed run on both sides that could all serve as singles. Any cut in the quiver would be welcome slipping out of the speakers, chasing the condensation down the side of the can. There are plenty digging into the well of ‘70s-swung Americana these days, but what makes The Bures Band work so well is that they capture that kind of unbridled joy that accompanies the best examples. When the harmonies curl around one another and the guitars seem to bend sunlight so that it lasts an extra hour, that’s the kind of album that endures. That’s exactly the how Full Circle hits, every time.