Peter Matthew Bauer – Gold Paint for Blue Skies

Peter Matthew Bauer keeps building on what made the Walkmen special while pushing into something heavier. “Gold Paint For Blue Skies” opens with an organ drone that feels like it’s been pulled from some forgotten cathedral, then swells into a two-chord progression that takes its time getting where it needs to go. Matt Barrick handles drums while Starcrawler’s Henri Cash lays down bass, and Bauer stacks organs, pianos, and guitars until the whole thing becomes this lush, overwhelming sound.

The production comes from Bauer himself, with Joey Oaxaca mixing and Chris Colbert mastering. Co-written with Barrick and Paul Maroon, the track never rushes, letting each layer breathe and build. It’s expansive without being bloated, powerful without showing off. Bauer’s been unveiling solo material throughout the year while also launching the supergroup Hyloxolos, but this cut stands apart for its patient approach to its beauty.

Bauer founded the Walkmen in New York and released six albums with them before going solo in 2014 with “Liberation!” on Mexican Summer. His second record “Mount Qaf (Divine Love)” drew from his work as a writer and astrologer, pulling influence from eastern philosophy, Carl Jung, Alejandro Jodorowsky, and Islamic scholar Henry Corbin. Now based in Los Angeles, he runs Fortune Tellers, a label, and management company representing artists like Starcrawler, Lushlife, Matt Costa, and Liily. “Gold Paint For Blue Skies” follows October’s “Doom” and 2022’s “Flowers”, continuing Bauer’s steady output of moody, layered psych-pop that doesn’t forget its roots.