A few good times in my life
A couple of days ago Ripley Johnson announced a new album by his project Rose City band in April. It seems that they didn't changed their style. Sunny westcoast country songs with a sparkling guitar that drifts into a psychedelic mood to the end of the song. This song is the perfect recipe to get rid of the cold, wet and windy weather outside and shortens the time until spring will arrive.
Yesterday I posted a long song by Psychic Ill and I remembered them when I read the news of a new series of albums released as Live At Leviation. It is a series about live recordings of the annual Austin Psych Fest. It seems like a series of live albums bringing back the best of American psychedelic music to our ears. Psychic Ill released a live album as well as Moon Duo from their appearance in 2012. Ripley Johnson and Sanae Yamada formed their band in San Francisco in 2009 to make a dusty, dirty and psychedelic guitar sound, minimalist rhythms and melodies, deliberately broken sounds and constant repetitions make up the sound. On stage Moon Duo make noise for five bands. Ripley nuzzles into the mic, playing down his fuzzy riffs, while Yamada feeds in flirty synthies and keyboard tunes. The drum computer works continuously without a break. You might think the two live in a different world. Or on the moon. This live recording seems to show them at a high leverl.
I came home from the pub next door yesterday watching the game of my team. Sadly we lost the game but it wasn't necessary against Leverkusen. But they played much more clever in short-handed for more than an hour. Anyway, to clear my mind I listened to Moon Duo's album Circles from 2012 when i got the first time aware of Ripley Johnson. Still a favorite of mine throughout the years and always a pleasure to come back to. There were so many times when I played his records that made me feel easy and safe. I couldn't make more compliments to his music.
Moon Duo - High Over Blue
Last week the new album by Rose City Band arrived at my home. Ripley Johnson's side project beside of Mood Duo and Wooden Shjips captivates me every time I listen to it. Even if you're not into Americana or desert music his pearling guitar licks makes you feel like you arrived at a common place. Earth Trip is similar to the other albums and present nothing new or groundbreaking - just a kind of music you can listen to at a campfire close to the beach. You might call it retro but I love this music right now for a start into a new era after hard days of social distances.
