Yellowbirds is Sam Cohen’s (of Apollo Sunshine fame) latest project, and one of the most recent additions to Marco Benevento’s Royal Potato Family record label. After Apollo Sunshine’s 2008 release Shall Noise Upon, Cohen quietly went in a new direction searching for his own sound. That sound has materialized with The Color, the Yellowbirds debut album, in a unique blend of indie infused psych-rock. Already, the album has garnered a 7.7 from the indie snobs at Pitchfork and high praise from the heady folks at Relix magazine. That means it must be good, right?

Over the course of 11 tracks, Cohen guides us through a calming psychedelic journey that begins with the very first note of “The Rest of My Life.” Much of the album evokes a classic 60′s psych sound, although far more authentic than many of its contemporaries. And with the addition of Cohen’s arsenal of effects, a fresh wave rushes through each song creating the truly original sound heard throughout The Color. Cohen’s approach to his solos shines a light on his Berkelee schooling, setting him in place among the top guitarists on the psych-rock scene today. A true artist, Cohen also hand designed the album cover and created a custom screen print to adorn the cover of the limited CD case. He also created this amazing video to boot.

Check out Sam Cohen’s video for “The Rest of My Life” made using a digital still camera.

I’ve had pleasure of watching this band from its very early stages, seeing them perform in tiny bars in New York and Brooklyn. Each and every show gets better as they discover their live sound and continue to grow. I urge you all to check them out, and if you have a turntable purchase the vinyl from our good friends at Royal Potato Family or download it here. This is a band you need to know about.

“Rest of My Life”

“Honest Ocean”

Also, be sure to check out our pals at Back in 15 Minutes’ interview with Sam Cohen for more info.

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