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Bryon Harris

Tar & Flowers – "Spinning In Gold"

Updated: Dec 8, 2021

Review By April Kranz

I was raised in a family that loved Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles. There was something about Don Henley’s voice, Lindsay Buckingham's clean licks with a slight grit, and of course the comforting, nostalgic lyrics of her highness Stevie Nicks. Tar & Flowers feels the same way they did when I listened to The Chain for the first time in the car: nostalgic yet fresh, traditional Americana with a voice of its own.

The themes of strife and the struggle of the underdog spun to be almost prolific are reoccurring in Tar and Flowers’ discography. Danny, for instance, is an excellent example of the group’s storytelling (“Danny was about 17 when he first got his crown… He knew he was good for something, ‘til the Queen of Hearts shot him down”). Spinning In Gold is reminiscent of a highwayman anthem heard in a forgotten bar on a forgotten road in a forgotten town. Tar & Flowers convey the feeling of living on the edge, feeling alive when surviving, coasting for the danger of the unknown. Adventurous guitars, both acoustic and steel, drive this power ballad as it marches along with a grooving bass and steady drums.

“There’s a neon sign in Austin that hangs like a tear

And says in no man’s words in a language no one would hear

The more I drink, the more I thirst

The more I pray, the more I’m cursed”

If anybody asks for my opinion (which is why I write, of course) best highlights of this track for me are the dual guitar solos, and the tasteful octave harmonies. They sure aren’t to be missed before the powerful third verse and final chorus, continuing to support the melody into yet another dual solo (BOGO deal anybody?). Overall the track is fun, mischievous, a delicate ballad to enjoy on a warm summer evening, on a road trip, or if you want to feel a little lawless for a few minutes.


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