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.
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.
As every year I compile a list of albums that was on on heavy rotation this year on my turntable, inspired me in any way or made me feel familiar with the music. I started a few weeks ago to collect a list and I couldn't decide which one doesn't make it on the final list of ten albums. For this reason fantastic albums by Daniel Avery, The Orb, Four Tet, Whyte Horses, SAULT, Kanaan or Little Barrie & Malcom Catto doesn't appear on the final list but are highly recommended. So here are ten albums without valuation.
Sonic Boom - All Things Being Equal: In the middle of the year former Spacemen 3 Pete Kember aka Sonic Boom released an album that has everything I expected from him. From spaced pop songs to Phil
Spector's wall of sound and everything in between is assembled on this beautiful album.
Michael Rother - Dreaming: After 16 years Michael Rother, one of the best living fossils from the golden krautrock days released a new album. From the first chords you realize that this guitar only could be played by the former member of Kraftwerk, Neu! and Harmonia. Timeless guitar phrases like played on his first album make a perfect combination with the voice of Sophie Joiner. Probably on of those albums that will be overlooked.
Waxahatchee - Saint Cloud: Katie Crutchfield released as Waxahatchee an album that could be filled under Americana but it is much more. Her voice, some big guitars, well-honed noise and battering sounds makes her different to many other singer-songwriters in these days and sometimes helped me making some days better this year.
Glok - Dissident Remixed: Last year one of the best albums and this year the remixes were played on heavy rotation when they were released. Andy Bell gave the tracks to some well known mates to develop the originals. Together they made their owns visions of the source material, delving into ambient techno, psychedelic acid disco, krautrock and beyond.
Rose City Bank - Summerlong: It seems like Ripley Johnson can't make any mistake in music. Either as Wooden Shjips or Moon Duo. Also laid back California psychedelic sounds are close to him. It is every time a pleasure listening to his beautiful guitar lines. A second album that has the same quality as the first.
Bob Mould - Blue Hearts: Every album by ex-member of Hüsker Dü Bob Mould is a good one. But this is maybe the best he recorded during the last years. He returns as an angry man shouting out what is going wrong in days like these. With the fury of Hüsker Dü he made the best songs since a long time.
Julian Cope - Self Civil War: This album is one of them I came back often this year. Not just because it shows how great Cope is. Returning after years on high level with 13 songs between his interpretation of rock music and krautrock added with orchestra and ballads. A weird bastard of an album but I love it.
The Long Champs - Straight To Audio: Welsh producer Lloyd Jones and his latest album was one of the discoveries I made this year. A collection of compositions that range from dancefloor to after hours drifting always with an upbeat mood and sinister soundscapes. This was a record that made the strange days of lockdown more brighter.
Richard Norris - Elements: The idea of making an album about earth, fire, water, air and space is probably not the first one ever but for me the best realization I heard. Far away from any cliché of modern music he invites us to a trip into ambient and space. An album that grew with every time I listened to.
Andy Bell - A View From Half Way Down: This album arrived in late autumn and I played it often since then. I like the perfect mixture of his warm interpretation of neo-psychedelia combined with shoegaze and dream-pop. For me the blueprint how an album should sound in 2020.
Velvet Dessert Music: Finally a compilation that was worth to be named in a year-end-list. Cologne's Kompakt-label released in spring a compilation of electronic variations of electronic sounds. The common sense of all is a new interpretation of dessert sounds. Sometimes it sounds like Ennio Morricone in a psychedelic style, sometimes like a downtempo variation of krautrock with psychedelia but always worth to come back to.
I never thought that a new band continues the work of Grateful Dead everybody's hippie dream but the first album by Rose City Band taught me that I was wrong. Not that they copy their sound - it is a bit more. Eric 'Ripley' Johnson, member of the majestic Wooden Shjips and Moon Duo played and produced their first self titled album and that makes the difference to many other country inspired bands. Besides, Rose City Band work like cosmic crawlers which stand in a psychedelic scabbard way. A sort of country-psych-vibe into which ethereal guitars flow and interweave themselves mutually to create a perfect balance between here and now. Many musicians from Portland come with pleasure especially actively on the psychotropic way – and interweaving and welding with country-, worldbeat -or folk-based sound patterns. Johnson and his allegiance lie also completely in this tradition. And I really love their space-blues-country with wonderful loops. A music to relax and feel harm and I am sure I will listen often to them.
