Los Angeles’s Beachwood Sparks evokes the mid-to-late 1960s sounds of jangle-pop bands like the Byrds and Buffalo Springfield, while also drawing on the country-rock of Gram Parsons and the Flying Burrito Brothers. The band formed in 1998 and released a couple of singles while still attempting to stabilize the line-up. Then their self-titled debut appeared in 2000 to critical praise while their follow-up, 2001’s ONCE WE WERE TREES, showed significant artistic growth, with a masterly blend of country, rock, and dreamy West Coast sounds, all supported by fine songwriting, playing, and singing. The band released an EP in 2002 (MAKE THE ROBOTS CRY), but the members have all been busy with independent projects through the mid to late 2000s, but reunite occasionally to play live shows.