Rose City Band – Summerlong
Thrill Jockey – 15 May 2020 (Physical releases Ship 19 June)
Does anyone actually like the scent of patchouli? It’s a fair question. There seems to be a hint of it wafting through the grooves of Ripley Johnson’s latest endeavour as Rose City Band, Summerlong. While the fragrance can be off-putting at first, the album most definitely is not.
The new Rose City Band album is a bit like a May/December wedding, with much of the work done early in fresh spring air before Wooden Shjips went out on tour, the rest coming at year’s end in a post-tour haze and the dimming light of December. The darkening days are reflected in tracks like an afterglow, memories of things now at the edge of the screen rather than head-on. The shift in perspective adds a little bite, along with cooler breezes. Something slightly less languid emerges from mix.
Ripley Johnson’s mostly solo endeavour (John Jeffrey plays the drums throughout) strolls across the fretboard with Garcia-laden leads, yet instead of ghosts what springs forth is a new blend, based on the masters but not tied to them. The twang attached to Summerlong comes from a keen understanding of past musical masterpieces. His record collection is a sight to behold (if you don’t believe me just check out youtube for evidence).
There’s an immediate bouncy feel to Only Lonely, if there’s a soundtrack to the summer this song would be on it without question. Lap steel adds a bit of a western drawl to the mix. Empty Bottles slows the pace as this tale of the morning after is filled with the melancholy of acoustic guitars blending with electric strains.
Picking up the pace Real Long Gone is a quick country tune, a bit of testimony about changing times and whether you choose to play the hand you’ve been dealt. Choices get made and you deal with the consequences of those choices and the choices others make. Drifting off on the cosmic plane, Floating Out is a gentle observation on the dances and steps we take, along with the feelings we have on the way.
Curling runs of electric guitar fuel Reno Shuffle, a six-string workout worthy of Wooden Shjips and their predecessors in the cosmic sweepstakes. Turning to the Wee Hours, Johnson achingly asks, “Tell me lately will you be there in the attics of song to be sung,” before merging into Wildflowers, another riff-laden gem.
Long after the scent of patchouli has faded, Ripley Johnson’s Rose City Band is still able to provide the soundtrack for both old and new generations of cosmic travellers. With Summerlong he has proved that even in the dark days there is always hope for rebirth close at hand.
Order via Thrill Jockey: https://www.thrilljockey.com/products/summerlong
Bandcamp: https://rosecityband.bandcamp.com/album/summerlong
Photo Credit: Jason Quigley