In recent years Dr. Robert of Blow Monkeys kept very busy not only with the mothership band, but also a variety of collaborative excursions, like the three [three!] Monks Road Social albums he released while I was struggling to catch up during the pandemic. I recently got the latest Blow Monkeys album [which I need to add to their Rock G.P.A. one day – what you must think of me] and have yet to find the time to sink my teeth into it for a review and we find that Dr. Robert has teamed up with Matt Deighton, his Monk’s Road Social cohort, with an album coming our way next spring.

It’s called “Instant Garden,” and it will also be released on the furiously busy and righteously proper [non-profit!] label Last Night From Glasgow. Who seem to be signing all of my favorite artists these days, so I’m very down with that. The Good Doctor describes the vibe as being akin to “Fred Neil and Marc Bolan bonding over [Nick Drake’s] “Five Leaves Left.” An earthy and intimate excursion to react against the increasingly ornate Soul Pop that The Blow Monkeys are crafting these days.

The first single, the title track, has apparently dropped on the last day of summer [Sept 22, for those who weren’t keeping track…or had a hurricane drop in] so let’s just pop over to the iTunes store and buy it. Don’t worry. I’ll put an embed here you can listen to for free. Let’s listen!

Wow. This sounds very stripped down! Just voice and guitars; both electric and acoustic. The one concession to artifice are the rather elaborate backing vocals [including vocal percussion!] overdubbed in to the mix. The funky wah-wah gets plenty of room to stretch out and wail while the acoustics keep the rhythm flowing steadily. I daresay that John Fogerty would proclaim the duo were “chooglin'” on this session. Listening to it sounds like we’re in the room when it was recorded. Can someone front these two the budget for a living room tour? Pretty please?

Dr. Robert + Matt Deighton: Instant Garden – UK – CD [2025]

1. Already There
2. Dude In A Roller
3. Giving Up The Ghost
4. Gardening In The Mediterranean Way
5. Supernatural Seas
6. God Is Nature
7. Instant Garden
8. Philosophy
9. Ten Paces Safe
10. Endless Circle
11. Superstitious Woman
12. Crying Like A Child

The release date will be the first day of spring: March 21st, 2025. Last Night From Glasgow have the following on offer:

• CD w/instant garden – $17.00
• Sage Green LP w/instant herb garden – $35.00
• White Rose LP w/instant flower garden – $35.00

How cool that you get seeds to plant along with the music? The next single will happen on the first day of winter [Dec. 21st] so it looks like we’ll have some Dr. Robert to give us a break from the piped in xmas music. If you’re ready for some of this sauce, then DJ hit that button!

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