As if Polock, Triángulo de Amor Bizarro, and El Columpio Asesino weren’t enough, now we have another Spanish indie treasure: La Familia del Arbol. It’s no surprise either as their label, Mushroom Pillow, published all of their albums in their native country. La Familia del Arbol was formed by Nacho Casado and his partner in crime, Pilar, who began recording in his living room in the city of Elche near Spain’s Mediterranean coast.
Their debut single, “¿Tú Me Quieres?, kicks off with a wonderful trumpet that evokes Herb Alpert sans kitsch. The label’s comparisons to the sounds of West Coast artists such as The Beach Boys and 70’s Brit folk artists like Donovan couldn’t be more accurate. This is what Belle & Sebastian as produced by Brian Wilson would sound like. There’s a warm, summery feel throughout and, if you close your eyes, you can almost smell the salt of the ocean as you ride your beach cruiser through the city streets.
Pour some lemonade, stretch out in the hammock and download La Familia del Arbol’s “¿Tú me quieres?” below.