ROSE CITY BAND - Sol Y Sombra

Ripley Johnson is a musical talent shaped by the times we live in, a multifaceted soul split between various well-defined artistic projects, where kraut-rock and space-rock outings (Moon Duo) pair up with psychedelic excursions (Wooden Shijps), only to be set aside by the musician's deep-seated love for country-rock — and this is where Rose City Band comes into play.

For the band's fifth album, Ripley once again relies on the trusty Barry Walker (pedal steel), Paul Hasenberg (keyboards) and John Jeffrey (drums and percussion) for yet another pleasant romp through the sonic territory that, back in the 70s and 80s, was the daily bread of bands like New Riders Of Purple Sage, Grateful Dead, Flying Burrito Brothers and, why not, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

Ten tracks, a standard length for albums of that era, just over 40 minutes, and here is a fascinating journey not only through the warm, enveloping sounds of the previous album "Garden Party", but also through the chiaroscuro that, like shadows, stands in the way of the sun's healing warmth.

"Sol Y Sombra" is an ambitious record: you can sense a vulnerability only partly softened by an opening triptych that glides by with impressive ease: "Lights On The Way", "Open Roads", "Rolling Gold". When the nocturnal, psychedelic guitar reverb echoes through "Evergreen", a nostalgia also emerges, opening the door to a darkness that had so far stayed in the background of Rose City Band's output — a catharsis that grows ever more tangible in the splendid flow of notes and arpeggios on "Sunlight Daze" and in the more psych-prog "Seeds Of Light".

The magic of "Sol Y Sombra" lies in the band's ability to reinvent familiar conventions without resorting to frills or pointless digressions on the theme ("La Mesa"). Rose City Band's cosmic country is vibrant and modern (the more pop-rock-leaning "Wheels"), yet also inspired and fluid (the elegant ballad with a superb organ solo, "The Walls"). For Ripley Johnson, the time has come to pick up Grateful Dead's torch and carry it forward into today's rock music.

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01/02/2025