Long time comin’ for this Sparrow Steeple LP, kept afloat by whispers of ex-Strapping Fieldhands gigging around Philly but little else for those outside of southeast PA to sink their teeth into. Who else but Richie Records rolled Steeple Two out in a triptych of releases, alongside Mark Feehan’s jarring and hypnotic M.F. II and the rambling, dusty longing of Mordecai’s Abstract Recipe. It’s a formidable threesome for sure, but Feehan and Mordecai nearly drowned out the comparatively slight (or so it seemed) Sparrow Steeple for a bit. Took me a few weeks - others, not so much: this was the first LP that sold out direct from Richie - but Steeple Two might just be my favorite of the three. Clearly there is a strong Strapping Fieldhands influence here, ‘cept where the Fieldhands could play standing slouched over, Sparrow Steeple has laid back in the recliner for this new outing. This is loose, light music; guitar lines float in through your apartment from passing cars, percussion and flute scribbling out patterns under and over the wispy wah. It congeals beautifully underneath the vocals, which sound like Bryan Ferry with a very serious need to sing about food. The whole record might sound like some abandoned jam session without the warbling, emotive vocals, which lend a lotta charm to very somber songs about getting egg rolls to go and “Hamlet Egg Sandwich”es (above). It’s goofy as hell, but I doubt you’ll hear anyone enjoying themselves on record more than Sparrow Steeple anytime soon. Besides, there are songs like “Caspar’s Robe” and “Valerie Verb” to keep the beard-stroking astute listener comin’ back. It’s the kind of record made for evening porch sessions and people that might’ve loved Shawn David McMillen’s On the Clock w/ JJ & Mitch as much as @fuckinrecordreviews did back in 2015. It’s tense out there; Steeple Two is the necessary counterbalance.
As mentioned, Richie is outta all three of the new releases for now. Do not fret: Midheaven is stocked, which means any store with good taste near you should also be stocked. You can also stream one more song, the lilting “Domino Mary,” here.












