L.A. Yesterday
Self-Released, 2020
8/10
Lee Gallagher has a lengthy career in music, going back to his teenage years, though things really took off for him when he moved to San Francisco and took up camp in Joshua Tree. It wasn’t long until he assembled a band- The Hallelujah- and a debut album in 2015 was born.
This time around, the band’s changed a bit, and here Jimmy Dewald, Kirby Hammel and Will Scott are on hand for another batch of Gallagher’s cosmic rock’n’roll that’s certainly nostalgic, always unpredictable, and just might make you channel your inner hippy.
“Highway 10” starts the playful keys as emotive, bright vocals guide the throwback rock that seems indebted to the ‘70s, and “Breakin’ Up” follows with plenty of acoustic guitar in the breezy and folk influenced atmosphere.
At the halfway point, “Feed Your Flame” offers gorgeous roots rock as Gallagher’s vocals really shine, while “Astral Plane Blues” recruits harmonicas for a soaring blues rock adventure that gets a bit haunting, too. “California Divide”, the album stand out, then displays a layered and energetic execution of Americana and classic rock that’s just as memorable as names like Plant and Petty.
At the end, “Gone Today” finds a more gospel place to reside with plenty of soul, and “Rollin’ Out” finishes the effort soft and soothing, as Gallagher and company prove they’re just as impactful in calm situations, too.
A listen that’s just as likely to be acoustic focused as it is to offer fuller rock, Gallagher rubs elbows with psychedelic ideas as well as Laurel Canyon sounds on this often laid back, ‘60s sounding affair that proves that he’s come a long ways since his formative years in Ohio. And really, it seems like he’s just getting started.
Travels well with: Ted Russell Kamp- Down In The Den; Too Slim & The Taildraggers- The Remedy