It’s Springtime, folks! And, what better way could there be to celebrate that fact, than with a dose of Californian sunshine – all way from Aberdeen. Yes, our old friend Kevin Robertson is back and his new band is ready to jangle…
THE NEXT GREAT ROBERTSON ADVENTURE…
Kevin Robertson is an At The Barrier regular. His 2025 album, Yellow Painted Moon – a veritable banquet of Byrds-like jangle pop – sailed majestically into our Albums of the Year list and he – and his friends – have been spending the early part of 2026 preparing us all for the next great Robertson adventure. That adventure is now underway…
We already knew that Kevin’s son, Scott, is a bit of a wizz when it comes to songwriting, playing the guitar and singing. Well, now Scott and Kevin have joined forces and drafted in their producer, Nick Bertling, to play drums in their new band, Robertson. The band’s debut album is a showcase of Scott and Kevin compositions. The story doesn’t end there, either, because Daddy and Baby Robertson have also called on the services of a host of their talented pals to flesh out their sound. Cello, pedal steel, strings, horns and much more; there’s so much to enjoy on Robertson.
DELVING INTO PSYCHEDELIA
It’s Nick’s strident drumbeat that gets Robertson (the album) up and running. The guitar sound for opening track Everything I Wanna See is twangy, rather than jangly, and Nick’s production is rich and lush. The vocals are smooth and melodic and there’s definitely a bit of familial telepathy at work in those harmonies…
The familiar Byrds sound makes its entrance with Don’t Know What It Means. The sound is bright, alive and alert and there’s even a touch of Crosby-raga tucked inside the guitar solo. That sound was, of course, the precursor to much of the psychedelic experimentation that made 1966 and 1967 such landmark musical years and, with Get In The Parlour, Jean, Robertson delve a little deeper into psychedelia. Eastern-sounding guitars sit comfortably alongside guest Marco Pescosolido’s luscious cello in a song that gets dreamier the longer it goes on.
We’ve already enjoyed a couple of tasters to sharpen our appetites for this album and Sticking Around, the second of the two advance singles is, very definitely, a song that seems to improve with every listen. The song is lifted skywards on the beams of Ahren Buchheister’s pedal steel, the guitars jangle and the harmony vocals are just-so. It’s an anthem for the Spring! The same can be said for Birdy in the Window, the album’s lead single. Once again, Nick’s production is full-sounding and wonderfully balanced. Scott’s vocals are soft and intimate; the guitars ring out, and all feels right with the world.
1967 SOUNDS SO VERY FRESH!
Soft acoustic guitars and the sweet strings of Kateryna Mytrofanova and Alexey Zavgorodny add an instant summery feel to Is It Wrong? – an enjoyable chunk of psych-folk. And that’s an avenue that’s explored a little further with the intriguing But Today. What sounds initially like classic sixties folk-rock soon blossoms into Technicolor psychedelia, especially after Patrico Bottcher’s mariachi horns leave their mark.
Another guest, Jim Shepherd, throws in a few fluid lead guitar solos on To You, the album’s most overtly rocky song. Scott and Kevin provide more Byrdsy vocal harmonies as Nick pounds the kit like a man possessed. But it’s back to full-blooded psychedelia for the excellent Illusion to Me – perhaps my pick of the whole bunch. 12-string acoustic guitars lead the way, with Scott’s loping bassline adding the depth. It’s reminiscent of Tomorrow Never Knows – a feeling that’s strengthened as the backward guitars chime in. I got the distinct feeling that 1967 was here again – and it sounded so very, very, fresh.
If you’ve ever wondered what early Pink Floyd might have sounded like if they’d started life in Nashville, rather than in Cambridge, you might find the answer with Wasting the Day Away, a light-hearted psych-country tune. It’s great fun and there’s a tone in Scott’s voice that suggests that it shouldn’t be taken too seriously…
CALIFORNIAN SUNSHINE – ALL THE WAY FROM ABERDEEN!
Smile and Wave is a piano ballad with a difference. There’s a strong waltz rhythm that invites the listener to sway along and the intensity builds as the keyboards kick-in. It’s all quite anthemic! And, to steer Robertson towards the finishing line, Marco returns with his cello for a fine, pastoral, reprise of Get In The Parlour, Jean.
Robertson is wrapped up by Noon and Night, a slow country ballad. Scott and Kevin harmonise powerfully, but there’s a world-weary tone detectable in those voices. Ahren’s pedal steel soars heavenwards once more; it’s a magical ending to an album that is, let’s say it – just about damn near perfect.
What better way could there be to celebrate the arrival of Springtime that with a dose of that special Robertson Californian sunshine. All the way from Aberdeen!
Listen to Sticking Around – a track from the album – below:
Kevin Robertson: Bandcamp