Nightshades
American Standard Time, 2022
8/10
A California outfit with a penchant for reverb friendly textures and Western Noir flavor, this sophomore album from This Lonesome Paradise was fleshed out off the grid, in a solar powered studio that further explores their drifting and echoed ways.
“Scorpion Song” starts the listen with much atmosphere, as soulful brass and hypnotic guitar are met with dark storytelling that’s quite cryptic, and “Funeral Skies” follows with a psychedelic, nearly gothic appeal that’s as ominous as it is creative.
In the middle, “Blue Sky” showcases a unique, melodic dimension that benefits much from moody keys in sort of an eerie way, while “Always You” picks up the pace with thumping drums, Dean Shakkad’s playful bass lines and the soaring vocals from E. Ray Bechard.
Arriving near the end, “Moonlight Tragedy” flows with a retro feeling that’s intimate and exploratory, and “Unholy Holy” exits the listen with a distinct dreaminess that’s both mesmerizing and enigmatic.
A very curious listen that explores jazz, lounge, psychedelic, and desert rock sensibilities, Nightshades is an artistic and meticulous affair that you can’t listen to just once.
Travels well with: DBUK- Songs Nine Through Sixteen; Lunar Noon- Symbolic Creature