by Ross Jenkins (@jenkinsross)
Earth Trip is the third record in as many years by Rose City Band; the laid-back-cosmic-country outlet for guitarist and songwriter Ripley Johnson. Though he is known for the psychedelia of projects Wooden Shjips and Moon Duo, Rose City Band continues to prove itself as an attention-worthy foray. The arrangements are tighter but still feel free to explore and sprawl in length. The lyrics are concise. It’s clear Johnson is comfortable in these songs and confident in the themes they explore.
On the opening track “Silver Roses,” softly mixed drums and acoustic guitars form a rhythmic backdrop for lyrics that recall being “called down off the road” and the journey home it entailed. Pedal steel guitar ebbs in and out of the foreground, leaving room for Johnson’s melancholic vocals to be heard clearly. This time around, the voice is anxious and weary while staying cautiously optimistic about what the sudden derailing of modern life might mean for the future. Later, on the upbeat “Lonely Places,” the singer pays tribute to a world in motion, reflecting on the solitude of “wide open spaces” and how bittersweet that lifestyle can be. Eventually, a fuzzed-out lead guitar takes center stage and playfully improvises as the track fades out. The next song, “Ramblin’ With the Day” keeps a similar brisk country rhythm, but ends abruptly without letting any notes ring. This restraint loosens up when it feels the need, like with album closer “Dawn Patrol” where some tasteful playing takes us on nine minutes of pensive jamming.
While Johnson ably handles most of the instrumentation - a few guests are integral to the overall sound. Fellow Portland-dweller Barry Walker Jr. contributes the aforementioned pedal steel that colors and brings another dimension to the record. Colin Stewart returns to percussion duties, delivering a light touch that drummers spend years trying to perfect. Cooper Crain, of Bitchin’ Bajas and Cave renown, mixes the record with a lightly hallucinogenic quality, instruments rippling and sunny with a vibe that suits Rose City Band’s Pacific Northwest home.
Where last year’s Summerlong exhibited a psychedelic jitter more akin to the Grateful Dead's American Beauty, Earth Trip is a much more gentle experience. The drums are measured, the pedal steel replacing the delay-wash of electric guitars. The reverb is lush, never overwhelming the simple presentation.
Despite its vintage-stylings, Earth Trip does not rest on nostalgia. Instead, Johnson invokes Americana as a connection to the world as he knows it while reflecting on the last rotation around the sun. This gesture alone makes Rose City Band’s latest work worth listening to.