Freddie Cowan used to be The Vaccines’ lead guitarist but seems to have had a musical epiphany of sorts while visiting Mexico City in 2019.
Around the city’s Centro Historico neighbourhood he met musicians like Diego Herrera of Caifanes, string and brass arranger Dan Zlotnik and Moisés García, one time trumpet player for the Mexican pop icon Juan Gabriel.
He includes these players in his makeshift ‘orchestra’ and also teams up with Laura Marling’s bassist Nick Pini,
More familiar collaborators include The Vaccines’ original drummer Pete Robertson and his old band’s keyboardist Tim Lanham.
In addituion, Japanese guitarist Tomoyasu Hotei plays on Sensei, a surf rock instrumental piece that could have come straight from a Tarantino movie.
The album was recorded in both Mexico City and Somerset and produced by Ethan Johns. From the freedom of North America to the confines of lockdown in South-West England, the record’s mood reflects the two contrasting locations and situations; by turns outward-looking and introspective. It is positively languid and loungey in places (check out Love Will Set You Free) but also includes several flirtations with psych-pop.
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In describing the finished result as “a celebration of creative freedom and collaboration, life, growth, and restoration”, it was obviously as joy to make. “No one’s better alone” is a line from the most expansive track Begin Again, and one senses the delight of collaborating and interacting with a range of different musicians.
The finished product is hard to place and the go with the flow style means it is certainly not a record to ‘get’ on first hearing.
One thing is sure: it’s definitely a far cry from British Indie Rock.
Freddie & The Scenarios on Bandcamp
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