Rose City Band - Sol Y Sombra (Preorder 24/01/25)

Rose City Band - Sol Y Sombra (Preorder 24/01/25)

Label: Thrill Jockey - THRILL620LPx - 790377620115
Format: LP, Album, Coke Bottle
Country: UK
Released: 24th Jan 2025
Genre: Psychedelic
Style: Psychedelic

Description
Rose City Band’s music is sun-kissed timeless country rock
whose seemingly effortless momentum carries the joy of
its creation without ignoring the darkness pervading our
consciousness. Led by guitarist/vocalist Ripley Johnson,
the music of Rose City Band is rooted in his love of
private press records of the mid to late 70’s. The band, in
addition to Johnson, features pedal steel guitarist Barry
Walker, keyboardist Paul Hasenberg and drummer John
Jeffrey who enmesh a keen sense of rhythmic drive and
melody with gentler, sumptuous atmospheres. Nuanced
performances and interplay between players unfurl like
desert flowers splashing color onto an arid landscape.
The ensemble’s buoyant moments still glide with ease,
but there is room to revel in respite of the shade of a
dark cloud. Across the album, Johnson’s tasteful guitar
interjections and soothing voice are met in kind with the
versatile playing of Walker, Hasenberg, and Jeffery, with
special guest performances by synthesist/vocalist, Sanae
Yamada. Album closer “The Walls” perfectly captures
the band’s explorative and expansive songs, Hasenberg’s
soulful organ driving the album to an emotionally cathartic
conclusion. Throughout his prolific career with Wooden
Shjips, Moon Duo and now Rose City Band, Johnson’s
music has consistently centered around exploration and
discovery. Sol Y Sombra imbues his penchant for space
and resplendent tonality with a denser amalgam of his
influences through a delicate balance of the somber and
the serene, of subtle evolutions and familiar sounds, Sol
Y Sombra makes for a holistically joyous experience,
finding solace in both sun and shade.