The Parrots

A boisterous yet melodic garage outfit hailing from Spain, the Parrots surfaced within Madrid’s vibrant indie landscape during the middle of the 2010s via a string of self-released recordings. Following their association with the U.K. imprint Heavenly Records, the trio unveiled their first proper album, the 2016 effort Los Niños Sin Miedo. Their sonic palette broadened on the more wide-ranging 2021 sequel Dos.

Guitarist and frontman Diego García, bassist Alex de Lucas, and drummer Larry Balboa first crossed paths while attending university, swiftly establishing themselves as fixtures in Madrid’s expanding garage circuit after issuing their initial EP, Aden Arabie, in the opening months of 2013. During the ensuing three-year stretch they cut material for several imprints, among them London’s Luv Luv Luv Records, Austria’s Bachelor Records, and the American tape-focused operation Burger Records. Subsequent to a split 7-inch alongside fellow garage-pop Spaniards Hinds, the group aligned with Heavenly Records, which brought out their debut full-length, Los Niños Sin Miedo, in the summer of 2016. The sessions took place over a single week at a coastal facility in Cádiz under the guidance of veteran engineer Paco Loco, whose supportive demeanor encouraged the band to experiment. For the follow-up, the remaining core of García and de Lucas journeyed to London to collaborate with producer Tom Furse of the Horrors. Adopting a more unhurried pace, the stylistically expansive Dos was tracked throughout spring 2020 and appeared in October 2021.