Tomorrow To The Sea
Self-Released, 2022
9/10
The husband and wife duo of Dave Houghton and Debra DeMuth, as Opal Canyon the pair are deeply indebted to the Laurel Canyon sound, where catchy choruses, plenty of rhythm and soulful harmonies are never in short supply.
“Invisible” starts the listen on a very warm note, where soft acoustic guitar and very pretty, cautious singing unfolds with a soothing folk and Americana delivery, and “Crickets And Stars” follows with a similar amount of beauty as the intricate guitar work and a more breezy approach hints at calmer country sounds.
“Last Hurra” arrives at the halfway point, and gets a bit more firm with the drumming and strumming that even borders on psychedelic, while “Moon Song Swing” gets kind of groovy and welcomes a dance friendly energy. “Tomorrow To The Sea (Big Hugs)” then embraces some rock’n’roll flavor that’s irresistible and invites singing along immediately.
Further yet, the shuflling pace of “(Don’t Go Back To) Rockville” puts a playful spin on the R.E.M. classic, and “Palm Trees” exits the listen swift amid lively melodies and plenty of rock’n’roll spirit that you won’t soon forget.
This is the pair’s 2nd album, and it’s full of timeless and memorable Americana, where their voices complement one another, and the sharp songwriting and flawless delivery equals a listen of all substance and no filler.
Travels well with: Lake Street Dive- Free Yourself Up; Sister Sparrow- Gold