The Band In Heaven, ‘Fairweather Friends’ – Song Premiere

The 2012 debut EP from Florida five-piece the Band In Heaven features songs called ‘Sludgy Dreams’ and ‘Sleazy Dreams’-- fitting titles for a group with a potent brand of scuzzy psych-punk dubbed "s---gaze" on their official Bandcamp page. ‘Caught in a Summer Swell,’ their forthcoming full-length on Decades Records, includes the tunes ‘Farewell Summer’ and ‘Fairweather Friends,’ and again, these are apt names, as the gang has replaced its Jesus & Mary Chain-informed wall of noise with blissful dream pop.

Fans need not worry, though, as ‘Caught in a Summer Swell,' due out Sept. 17, is every bit as tripped out as the Band In Heaven’s previous efforts, and it's all the more impressive because they achieved that same level of spacey euphoria with a cleaner and more textured approach.

Diffuser.fm has the exclusive premiere of ‘Fairweather Friends’ (streaming below), and a quick listen reveals the Band In Heaven are making music bigger and more nuanced than ever before. Featuring guest vocals from Victoria Winslet, the song is replete with a sweeping synth line, wistful strings and clean, melodic guitar picking, and the soaring vibrato vocals impart an undeniable sense of urgency. In fact, the band says ‘Fairweather Friends’ was meant to reflect the urgency, immediacy and energy of live rock 'n' roll.

“'Fairweather Friends’ is about that unique bond that exists between the band and the crowd for a 30 to 40 minute window, sharing spit and sweat, and the Stockholm Syndrome-like affect that lingers with the band after the fans and friends have all gone,” the band tells Diffuser.fm.

If the band in Heaven stay this course and expand on the lush sonic landscape they’ve crafted, they may find themselves with a new legion of fans. They may also have to remove that ‘s---gaze’ tag from Bandcamp.