With a new album, Hold On, due in March, Bombadil have released the first single Amy’s Friend (our Song of the Day). It’s a typically inventive slice of psychedelic pop from one of America’s most imaginative and wildly creative musical combos, now slimmed down to just a trio.
While we hope to bring you more on the album in due course Amy’s Friend is simply delightful. The child like simplicity of the melody on the verses, almost like a nursery rhyme, has echoes of Barratt era Pink Floyd and Cat Stevens, while contrasting nicely with the more adult sentiment of the song, sharkskin boots and all. Of course the verses give up to a the release of the chorus, but the song takes its time, teasing before it makes its big move, eventually conjuring images of the great Brian Wilson in his sandpit.
The more you play it, however, the more you marvel at the subtle micro-details in the arrangement as they combine to give this it’s stamp of originality and create the unique sonic world of Bombadil. The spectral keyboards, noises off in the fringes and the simple art of drumming becoming something far more playful all add to the magic. It’s so captivating that for just shy of three minutes everything else melts away. To nick a couple of lines from the song, “I can listen with my ear against the floor, float upon the waves and washed to shore.” Supine and eyes closed, I know exactly what they mean.