“It brings to mind Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros — a charismatic singer bringing his dream to life via song, inviting the inevitable communal sing-along. It’s a trippy tune from a guy who’s been on a few, and maybe has more in his future.”
Bee Appleseed - Starflower’s Cosmic Soul
Following his 2018 debut Backpacker Blues, Bee Appleseed returns with his sophomore solo effort, Starflower's Cosmic Soul. Though he has a decade's worth of touring and lo-fi bootleg folk recordings under his belt, there are only rare hints of the latter on this heavy-hitting rock & roll odyssey that aims to transport listeners through a vortex of timeless space and catchy melodies. Those familiar with Bee’s previous work from more than a dozen other projects will recognize this album as the culmination of all his pursuits in different genres and art forms. It’s a coming-of-age in songcraft and lyricism that marks him as a definitive voice in modern youth counterculture.
After some tumultuous years experiencing the hardships of homelessness, Bee was lost until a fateful encounter with an elder Native American shaman he met—while searching for a place to crash on Couchsurfing.com. She invited him to her family farm in Central California outside San Luis Obispo. As a practicing energy healer, she altered Bee’s perspective, opening his eyes to the world in ways previously unknown to him. Not possessing much of a spiritual inclination at the time, Bee found himself suddenly awakened by this encounter. Starflower’s Cosmic Soul explores this awakening of spirit and the resulting changes within Bee in the form of an uplifting psych-folk opus.
In the Winter of 2017, Bee assembled a 15-piece band in Portland to play on Starflower's Cosmic Soul. Candlelit recording sessions heavily smudged with incense set a sacred ambience for the album's conception. Bee's distinct, uninhibited voice is supported by an array of saxophones, piano, organ, guitar, bass and drums, while a choir echoes lines such as, “You got to love yourself before you give out your love,” “all is forgiven” and “life is only beginning.” The album relays a powerful and impassioned group effort, one that aims to encircle with authentic conviction on a quest to discover the cosmic soul within. “I wanted to relay the impetus of spiritual strength I found during my most vulnerable time of homelessness through music,” Bee says, “as I believe music has the power to both heal and inspire.”.
Starflower’s Cosmic Soul begins in orchestrated chaos, as multi-tracked takes of Bee's voice swirl from one ear to the other before being shocked into sedation with the words, “The people who define you linger on to remind you / of who you've been and are meant to be / yet you can't help but look around at all the hearts in the lost & found / but you'll be stronger if you repeat after me / oh love don't hurt me anymore.” From there, the album is a rollercoaster of soulful rock & roll with a message of optimism and a yearning for the future. It's a true psychedelic voyage, perfect for seekers and dreamers.
Starflower's Cosmic Soul is out Feb. 21, 2020 on Baby Robot Records.