Allo Darlin'
We Come from the Same Place
Slumberland
2014
Rating: 7.5 easter candies out of 10
I love Allo Darlin' - I loved their first two records & as well as when I saw them perform live a couple of years ago - which makes it all the more puzzling that I slept so long on their newest release "We Come from the Same Place." And it's not like this third record by them is some great departure - if you told me this batch of indie twee pop was recorded at the exact same time as the rest of their material, it would be believable. They're a one-trick pony I suppose, but they're really, really damn good at that one trick. It might just me but it's impossible to not fall in love with singer Elizabeth Morris while listening to her perform - something about her tone drills right into my heart. Note to self: if Allo Darlin' release a fourth album, maybe listen to it right away okay?
Outer Spaces
Garbage Beach EP
Salinas
2014
Rating: 8 blue bags out of 10
I came across Outer Spaces, both the band and this record, when I caught them on tour with a band I love, Lace Curtains. They closed the night and had just intended to see a couple of songs to hear what they sounded like - I ended up staying for the whole set and rushing to the merch table to buy the record. With six songs at a little over 20 minutes long, I've found myself listening to this over and over and over since my first listen, mesmerized by Cara Beth Satalino's voice. Musically the closest comparison I would make might be our very own Mount Moriah, with a little less twang. There's also the occasional sheen of pop here, like on the Best Coast-ish "Rust." Not a bad song in the bunch, and I really couldn't recommend this more highly. Really looking forward to future recordings and future shows by this group.
