This album has been floating around the San Francisco underground for a little while now, but with vinyl copies at last reaching the UK and Summer at our doorsteps it felt just the right time to attempt to capture its magic here.
The first thing that hits me every time I Iisten to Whitney’s Playland is the beauty of Inna Showalter’s voice. Her every syllable is a sun-kissed, ocean drenched miracle. The overarching themes of this album are love, loss and loneliness, and the way in which she so effortlessly carries the weight of those emotions across its ten songs is nothing short of breathtaking. Showalter, alongside friend and fellow Bay Area scene long-stay George Tarlson, has pulled off that rarest of feats here; an accessible, hook-laden album that holds enough mystery and intrigue to keep you coming back for more.
Whilst Sunset Sea Breeze undoubtedly embraces the glistening heart of nineties indie, that time when anything and everything felt fleetingly possible, there is also a 60s/70s folk undercurrent that becomes more noticeable as the album progresses. Despite these references to the past the album sounds completely new owing to its unique production, which somehow feels both hi-fi and lo-fi at the same time. The instrumentation cuts through and bites hard, but the arrangements are sparser than they initially seem, which makes for a compelling, dynamic listening experience.
My very favourite moment on an album that contains absolutely no misses is second side opener Rain Song, where everything it is to be Whitney’s Playland comes together perfectly. A melody for the ages, killer guitar changes, and a chorus that, like life and love itself, seemingly lasts forever but somehow still ends too soon.
Sunset Sea Breeze is exactly the type of album that could break free from the San Francisco underground due to its universal and timeless appeal, and in doing so help to bring the latest wave of beautiful Bay Area sounds out into the light.
Out now via Paisley Shirt Records (US) and Meritorio Records (Europe/UK.)
LISTEN/BUY/SHARE:
https://paisleyshirtrecords.bandcamp.com/album/sunset-sea-breeze
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