James & Paul are a Morpeth based duo who first caught my attention with their 2022 album Tabula Rasa. A thematically-rich collection, I was suitably impressed with the album, so I was most certainly excited to see they had a new single out. It’s called Helicopter Trees.

By Graeme Smith

Helicopter Trees instantly hits you with a massive staccato riff before settling into a ’90s rock groove with urgent, passionate vocals. There’s a hint of psychedelia in Helicopter Trees too, particularly in its cryptic and image-rich lyrics that convey a sense of escape.

James Brown & Paul Brown are a father and son team who are influenced by the likes of The Smiths, Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel. They’ve got such a strong sound, I can only see good things for them in the future.

You can listen to Helicopter Trees below.