Sol Y Sombra

Rose City Band’s music is sun-kissed, timeless country rock whose seemingly effortless momentum carries the joy of its creation without ignoring the darkness pervading our consciousness. Led by guitarist/vocalist Ripley Johnson, the music of Rose City Band is rooted in his love of private press records of the mid to late '70s. The band, in addition to Johnson, features pedal steel guitarist Barry Walker, keyboardist Paul Hasenberg, and drummer John Jeffrey, who enmesh a keen sense of rhythmic drive and melody with gentler, sumptuous atmospheres.

Nuanced performances and interplay between players unfurl like desert flowers splashing color onto an arid landscape. The ensemble’s buoyant moments still glide with ease, but there is room to revel in the respite of the shade of a dark cloud. Across the album, Johnson’s tasteful guitar interjections and soothing voice are met in kind with the versatile playing of Walker, Hasenberg, and Jeffrey, with special guest performances by synthesist/vocalist Sanae Yamada.

Album closer “The Walls” perfectly captures the band’s explorative and expansive songs, with Hasenberg’s soulful organ driving the album to an emotionally cathartic conclusion. Throughout his prolific career with Wooden Shjips, Moon Duo, and now Rose City Band, Johnson’s music has consistently centered around exploration and discovery. *Sol Y Sombra* imbues his penchant for space and resplendent tonality with a denser amalgam of his influences through a delicate balance of the somber and the serene. With its subtle evolutions and familiar sounds, *Sol Y Sombra* makes for a holistically joyous experience, finding solace in both sun and shade.