"The Junipers have never released a duff album. I'm deliberately trying not to mention songs because this is a proper album to be listened to from start to finish. Absolutely essential"
Just as with David Brookings, I return to our very early days, a decade ago, when I reviewed The Junipers' Red Bouquet Fair. I've been with them ever since and enjoyed Robyn Gibson's Bob Of The Pops adventures through the period to now.
A new Junipers album is also a reason to celebrate as they bring my beloved Psych Pop back to life. More recently, the quartet have been as interesting as ever, but been a little more mellow. None of that here, this is a real Guitar album, back to earlier days and a full revelation of how great Psych Pop is.
The Solid And The Hollow not only makes an old man very happy, but is also one of the best psych pop albums for a long time.The whole thing is beautifully arranged, the instrumentals are works of art and show off Gibson's dulcet tones beautifully.
It really sounds as though it could have been recorded in those hazy 60's days when the genre took off. But there are also hints of the late 80s revival. The album offers up both beat and the more mellow, but all are arranged perfectly, providing a dreamlike vibe or a killer Psych Beat.
I'm deliberately trying not to mention songs because this is a proper album to be listened to from start to finish. But as you head over you may want to compare the 60s Beat of When She Turns with the wonderful Piano led closing masterpiece that is Moments Of Truth.
In between you get everything that the band is great at, Mellotron, jangle and stunning mood setters. The Junipers have never released a duff album, but this is more of a Guitar album, a step back to the early days if you like and no one masters Psych Pop like these four. Absolutely Essential!
Fittingly for a late 60s inspired record, the new JUNIPERS album is an unplanned love child. Joe Wiltshire and Robyn Gibson tell Michael Björn how one thing led to another.
To the delight of sunny psychedelic pop lovers, after eight years The Junipers are back with Imaginary Friends. It started when Robyn was recording the Portable Radio’s sophomore album. “We managed to persuade Joe to play bass,” says Robyn. “So that got me and Joe kind of doing bits over in Leicester.”
Their first idea was to re-record the Junipers’ debut albumCut Your Keysince they did not have ownership of the original. However, when a reissue deal was struck with the original label, attention instead turned to new material.“We had about four new songs,” says Joe who is the songwriter of the pair.“I showed them to Portable Radio, thinking perhaps we could do it with them.”
But accidental momentum took over and the songs just kept on coming.“The sessions were just so easy,” says Robyn.“We’d pop over to the Juniper studio for two or three hours, once or twice a week, and come out with maybe one and a half songs recorded.”
Soon the two had taped almost an album’s worth - but decided to also include‘My Imaginary Friend’ — the last group recording made in late 2017 just before their guitarist Peter Gough got ill and the band activity petered out.“I wanted to do our own‘Martha My Dear’. There’s an Emitt Rhodes track,‘She's Such A Beauty’, and I wanted something like that,” explains Joe.“But we've not got a dog, so we made one up, like a Rutles thing!”
With some parts recorded by the full lineup, the music feels like a direct continuation from previous album,Red Bouquet Fair.“It's good that it doesn't stick out,” says Robyn.“Nobody seems to have noticed the change in line-up.”
And judging from the sheer quality on display, great tunes seem to have been piling up over the inactive years, all in their signature warm and friendly style.“It's like a summer haze that's shimmering in and out,” says Robyn. ”Its nice to make something that makes you smile,” adds Joe.“Some songs are probably a bit saccharine, but as you build them, you try and steer it away from that a bit.” But while the production indeed layers psychedelic sounds and playful overdubs here and there, such effects are used sparingly in order avoid sugar coating.
“We just did it for fun,” concludes Robyn.“But we ended up with the fourth Junipers album!”
THEY COME IN COLORS: THE JUNIPERS' NEW ALBUM, IMAGINARY FRIENDS The Junipers are a secret to the general public but well known by a select group of tasters of the best sounds who rejoice in the release of the group's new album, the fourth and entitled IMAGINARY FRIENDS, eleven songs encapsulated on vinyl, CD or digital download availableon their bandcamp that make up a small treasure of crystalline and super-perfect pop, and that benefits from a compact, homogeneous production, which gives coherence to the album and that, unfortunately, is not usually as usual and desirable in the production of today's 60s influence groups. IMAGINARY FRIENDS, a self-released album by The Junipers, began its journey before the summer with the releases of new songs that foreshadowed the arrival of great things. The first was Annie Almond, a small and infectious pop capsule that takes us back to 1968, full of vocal melodies and adorned with Mellotron sound and that was elevated to BBC song of the week, something that unfortunately we will never hear on Spanish public radio. It was followed by She Looked Up At The Stars, a great popsike with organ that highlights the melody and My Imaginary Friend, a delight that reminds us of the Beatles' Martha My Dear seasoned with the genius and captivating extravagances of Brian Wilson, bright, luminous and with lyrics about puppies... what more could you ask for? Those three advances were followed by eight more songs to make up the album, which is already a reality (although the vinyl edition will still have to wait a few weeks) and presented in a playful and psychedelic folder that plays with the concept of imaginary friends, the first of them being The Swarthy Smith introduced with piano, elegant pop with a soft pop Californian air from the 70s followed without interruption by the softly bouncy bubblegum full of vocal harmonies of You're My Sugar And Spice. While You Preside brings to mind the powerpop a la Crabby Appleton but in its flow it drifts and enters psychedelic terrain, magnificent. Mary In The Rain returns to circulate in Beatlesque ways circa 1967, melodies always supported by the gentle voices of The Junipers, while for Monkey On My Back they also look at sounds from 1967 but in this case more typical of the Beach Boys; its instrumentation and melody, and the very light and progressive elevation of the intensity of the composition makes us think of Brian Wilson, as well as I've Been In Your Shoes that also reminds us of the Beach Boys but those of 1964-1965. The album comes to an end with Red Song, beautiful acoustic airs and again the Mellotron, and Hollow Sky that closes with a livelier spirit, pop made from piano, organ and sophisticated but endearing melodies. A marvel of an album that should have been double, at least, to give us more of the pop brand Junipers, but with this duration it is presented to us as a perfect musical pill. IMAGINARY FRIENDS can be enjoyed on The Junipers bandcamp, where physical copies can also be purchased. Don't miss it!
As most readers of Shindig know, there are several current bands who have attempted to bring that classic 60s soft pop sound into the new millennium.. and failed. There's always something not quite right, whether it's the timbre of the vocals, the production values, the melodic structures, or a combination thereof. Well, The Junipers, have managed to perfect their wonderfully shimmering, Curt Boettcher-esque folk-pop sound without even consciously trying to emulate it. Says Juniper Joe Wiltshire, "it's the era that we all listen to most, so it just falls naturally together. Even when we're recording & adding effects, it's what we know so it's what we do. We've never stopped and said, 'that doesn't sound 60s or 70s enough'. We just play it & it sounds like it does."
The Junipers in 2012
The band formed in Leicester around 2004, and recorded demos at home. "We started passing the recordings around town & got some good feedback so we started rehearsing as a band to take the songs out on the road", says Wiltshire. Several of these demos ultimately were re-recorded for their first full length album, Cut Your Key, which was released in 2008 and garnered several fine reviews. Shindig! Was so enamored of these recordings that we included "Gordie Can't Swim" on our hand-picked compilation, It's a Happening Volume One.
Their wonderful new album, Paint the Ground, retains a similar ethos as Cut Your Key, while taking it to the next level. "During the recording of the new stuff we got well into Space Opera and a lot of the moodier 70s sounds like America & Danny Kirwan", explains Wiltshire, and tunes like Dandelion Man & In My Reverie certainly reflect this. The Junipers have decided to eschew the usual label route & release Paint the Ground themselves - the album is available HERE!
Our album Red Bouquet Fair has made no 8 in Shindig! magazines best 10 albums of 2016. We're huge fans of Shindig and this means the absolute World to us. Thank you Shindig!
Where folk and country rock collide with pops soft mesh and shades of the psychedelic, this is where you'll find Paint the Grounds main aspects. Originally a 2012 download affair, this album is a thing of beauty with natural echoes of the modern pastoral in abundance; of meadows soaking up summer rays, of footfalls traipsing through the changing seasons, of shadows lengthening outside tabernacle homes.
Shimmering six and 12-strings and dreaming harmonies are joined occasionally by softly buzzing jaws harp, mellotron and zither, creating a panoply of bliss filled vistas that evoke such disparate, wide eyed spirits as 'Diamond Dew' era Gorky's, Peruvian McCartney worshipers We All Together and, somewhat quizzically, the languid haze of early Ride.
'Willow and the Water Mill', the panoramic glide of 'Antler Season' and joyously sparkling opener 'Look Into My River' are but a few of the goose bump-causing highlights on offer.
Radio 4 have been running a series of programs this year re-evaluating 1968; I bet The Junipers haven't missed many. In the world of these Leicester cosmic pop sprites, The Notorious Byrd Brothers is forever spinning on the gramophone and the studes are in a state of perpetual forment. If only The Junipers themselves were similarly formented. The nearest they come to dreaded modernity is Sheena which draws its inspiration from noted envelope pushers The La's. Elsewhere, the likes of Gordie Can't Swim and Mortimer Snerd push fearlessly forth into a place where Maxwell's Silver Hammer still clangs away joyously.
In a parallel universe The Junipers were born on the West Coast of America in the late 1960s and not in present day Leicester. The outfit, which is essentially songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Joe Wiltshire and vocalist Marc Johnston, nonetheless do a convincing job of re-creating the era with loving attention.
Debut album Cut Your Keyis full of twelve string guitars, a random collection of antique instruments and plangent melodies.
The release's fifteen tracks are a lightly psychedelic cocktail of The Beatles 'Dear Prudence' by way of Big Star's 'Thirteen'.
The lovelorn vocals on 'Out My Pocket' and the blissed out pop of 'Sunnydown Ave' perfectly soundtrack a long Summer holiday filled with unrequited lust and lemonade floaters, while the title track 'Sheena' encapsulate a beach party hosted by Simon and Garfunkel and Brian Wilson.
In common with The Ruby Suns, this authentic sound is undercut by moments of humorous whimsy, such as ramshackle instrumental 'Little May Rose' and the self explanatory 'Wobbly Interlude'. It's such intervals that ensure Cut Your Key is peppered with quiet charm, despite it's unashamed nostalgia.
Leicester has had a pretty good run of it of late. It had previously been a source of fun for Londoners being asked for directions by tourists trying to pronounce the famous London square of that name (“Can you tell me the way to Ly-sess-ter square?” we would be asked whilst stifling a smirk).
Aside from that, it was known for hosting the Walkers Crisps factory and being the birthplace of Thomas Cook holidays and the jug-eared England striker Gary Lineker. However, Britain’s tenth biggest city has had something of a renaissance. Not only is it now rather grandly the final resting place of Richard III, it also hosts football’s Premier League Champions, albeit they have just sacked their manager, which just goes to show some people are never happy.
Lineker himself is rising ever more to National Treasure status, as he provides as much opposition to the Government as he used to do to Brazil on the football field – more, some would say than the actual opposition party via his Twitter account.
From a musical perspective, until recently the most famous export from Leicester was the man who broke The Beatles’ record breaking string of number one hits by keeping Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane from the No. 1 spot.
Sounds good until you find out that person was Englebert Humperdinck.
But more recently Leicester has produced a slightly edgier and indie-fied version of Englebert in the form of Kasabian, a genuine international headliner and producer of indie-bangers.
And since 2000, another Leicester band has been quietly producing music, and it is this band that deserves your attention today.
The band is called The Junipers.
You may not have heard of them: they didn’t appear on The Brits alongside Ed Sheeran or at The Grammys alongside Bruno Mars, but The Junipers will appeal to fans of the quieter moments of Teenage Fanclub, modern day psychedelic rock bands such as Temples (who hail from nearby Kettering) and Tame Impala, and in particular such psychedelic ’60s pop as Love, The Byrds and The Beatles, and the sunshine pop of Sagittarius and The Beach Boys.
The Junipers’ third album in nine years (they aren’t the most prolific it seems), Red Bouquet Fair, came out late last year, and not only is it one of the best albums I have heard in ages, it’s also being released in a very limited run on coloured vinyl by Tunbridge Wells’ finest record label Sugarbush Records (about whom we’ll find out more another time).
Here are a few things we need to know about The Junipers:
Band members are Robyn Gibson (vocals), Joe Wiltshire (guitar), Pete Gough (guitar), Ash Selden (bass) and Ben Marshall (drums).
Their debut 2008 album “Cut Your Key” was recorded both at their own studios in Leicester and at Birmingham’s Magic Garden studios, and was a mild success, gaining radio play, favourable reviews and a support slot with the aforementioned Kasabian.
Follow up “Paint The Ground” was released in 2012, and improved upon the debut.
2016 album “Red Bouquet Fair”, their third album, is a further leap forward, containing songs that would improve Pet Sounds.
Yes, it’s that good.
It is a masterful work of pop precision, an album utterly accomplished. Like Southend’s Asylums’ “Killer Brain Waves”, Red Bouquet Fair is a great example of a terrific record being created with a DIY ethic outside of the mainstream music industry.
What makes this DIY movement different from previous movements is that bands like The Junipers are releasing the most beautiful home-produced albums that sound like they were created in a luxurious studio. There’s real craft in these mini-symphonies, in these perfect folk-pop moments of sunshine.
As winter draws to a close, perhaps it’s time to bring a bit of sunshine into your life? An instant injection of vitamin D…
The Junipers are songwriter Joe Wiltshire and vocalist Marc Johnston who, together with a group of friends in Leicester, make upbeat, chiming pitch perfect baroque and psychedelic pop with echoes of early Bee Gees, The Curiosity Shop and The Zombies. If you are looking for big loud electric guitar riffs, they are not here, but everything else is. Especially that McCartney baseline driven song structure. “Gordie Can’t Swim” opens with a Beatles meets Elephant Six collective retro sound, full of hooks that stick and harmonies that float along the melody. This sets the tone for the album, and despite a few slow instrumental breaks – it’s brilliant in every way. “Fly The Yellow Kite” is a shimmering pop confection that resembles a Wondermints composition. “Already Home” uses a Monkees-like country vibe with those impressive basslines and harmonies to great effect here and it’s a awesome pop song. Using a collection of instruments from of sitars, mellatrons, organs, kazoos, piano, strings, fuzz guitar will have fans of sunshine dappled psyche pop doing backflips. “Out of My Pocket” is adds a dash of prog organ to an acoustic guitar melody and, and “Sheena” is a very Wackers-like folk pop gem. Another standout is the Genesis-Klaatu beauty called “Song That Fades Away” with a sweet harpsichord solo in the middle. Other straight pop songs here “Mortimer” and “Sunnydown Avenue” resemble The Hudson Brothers in sound and spirit. The albums quieter moments concentrates on piano and gentle folk guitar similar to Elliot Smith. If you don’t enjoy the retro-psyche pop genre then you should pass on this, however fans of Andrew Sandoval, The Pillbugs, and “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” will gobble this one up. There are so many layers of impressive instrumentation and arrangements here I’m letting this one into the top ten of 2008. Again, no filler on this impressive debut, and I’ve added two tracks to the Lala player on the right for you to hear.
That’s right – the Junipers are back – and that is cause for celebration!
Even though it has been 8 years since their previous album, Imaginary Friends feels like a direct continuation. This makes a lot of sense as their music exists in a time slip wedged between reality and imagination, where songs like ‘Flight From Ashiya’ by Kaleidoscope and ‘Some Other Someday’ by the West Coast Consortium are forever playing on an old portable radio. The Junipers nailed the formula already from the get go with 2008 album Cut Your Key and have stuck to it ever since: sun-drenched, softly introspective psychedelic pop of the highest order, built on great melodies and tasteful arrangements.
And it seems we have that debut to thank for this new album, as members Joe Wiltshire and Robyn Gibson set out to re-record it in 2023, since they did not have ownership of the original and couldn’t reissue it. However, it seems a deal with the original record label was struck, a remixed digital deluxe edition was released and attention was instead turned to new material.
And judging from the sheer quality of every track on this album, a lot of material seems to have been piling up over the inactive years. So far three digital singles have been issued, but in all honesty, every track here is a winner.
While not (yet) a single, the album starts with the slightly dreamy yet catchy ‘Swarthy Smith’ that ends with a backwards organ organically leading into upbeat love song ‘You’re My Sugar and Spice’. Starting with the lyric “You’re my sugar and spice / you’re looking very nice / I will sing a song of love” it has a summery feel that just spreads warmth all over. At this point, one might fear that they have front loaded the album, but that is when the single cuts kick in. ‘She Looked Up At the Stars’ is built around a repeating organ figure firmly rooted in the late 60s and ends on a psychedelic swirl. It is followed by another irresistible single cut, ‘Annie Almond’ about a girl who “breaks hearts every time”. Sweet but never sugary.
In the years since previous album Red Bouquet Fair, Robyn Gibson has released a series of albums with covers of favourite tracks as Bob of the Pops, and some of that experience certainly has rubbed off here. There is an incredible attention to every little detail, the songs never overstay their welcome. And while there are some psychedelic effects and playful overdubs, they are used sparingly – such as the backwards voice leads on ‘While You Preside’, which, by the way, is the first track with guitar to the fore. A piano then drives the melody on ‘Mary in the Rain’, highlighting a sequencing that thoughtfully provides sonic variation. On the introspective ‘Monkey On My Back’ we get beautifully multitracked vocals and understated mellotron, whereas ‘I’ve Been In Your Shoes’ even edges towards doo wop but without a hint of pastiche.
With title track and single cut ‘My Imaginary Friend’ we are back on firm pop ground and ‘Red Song’ adds an autumnal touch before the album ends with the perfectly formed pop ditty ‘Hollow Sky’.
I have never before referenced every single track in a review of an album, which says something about the quality control here. For over half a century, bands have taken inspiration from the late 60s, but only few manage something more substantial than a homage. Now here is an album that is fully transparent with its many influences, yet manages to stand proudly with them.
Our new album is available for Pre order NOW! Pre orders will help us pay for the pressing of the vinyl and get it out sooner. Email us to pre-order at thejunipersband@gmail.com or from The Junipers Bandcamp page: PRE ORDER HERE!
Imaginary Friends is our fourth album. Currently only available as digital and physical CD. Vinyl coming very soon, October/November so please do pre-order. Still waiting on pressing. Sorry!
The Junipers are back with their new album "Imaginary Friends". In 2022 a couple of Junipers recorded with Manchester based outfit Portable Radio on their album "Counting To Three", providing the rhythm section recording at the Junipers studio in Leicester. With that project finished in 2023, they found the lure of their instruments and recording gear, still set up too tempting to not record some more.
They decided to have a go at re-recording their first album "Cut Your Key" from scratch. This was due to the record label owning those recordings and The Junipers not being able to release the original version on vinyl or sell it themselves. A new re-recorded version would mean a long awaited vinyl release of that album. That idea and those sessions petered out when a deal was struck with the record label, so decided to play around with some new songs instead.
With no initial intention of recording a new album, by early 2024 some accidental momentum was building and the idea to make an album gathered speed. A lot of care and love went into the recordings and "Imaginary Friends", the fourth Junipers album was born. The first single released from the album "Annie Almond" was given "track of the week" on BBC Radio, they followed that up with a second single "She Looked Up At the Stars". The album is due for digital and CD release on 5th Sept 2024. A vinyl release is due in October/November.
Our first single in a while is out now on our bandcamp page: BUY HERE!
It's called "Annie Almond" and is a little psychedelic pop song about people idea of other peoples perfection, and as we know perfection is an illusion. We made a little promo video too (Below).
Our new album "Imaginary Friends" will be out on 5th Sept and you can pre order now by emailing us at thejunipersband@gmail.com or by visiting The Junipers Bandcamp page: PRE ORDER ALBUM HERE!
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