Only Place, The

Simple joyous guitar trio pop. Female vocals that drip with emotion when they take flight, soaring, carrying the entire band alone. Pop perfection, channeling all the girl group greats starting from 50’s, through the 60’s and giving a nod and a wink to Holly Golightlys and other contemporaries. Second (third?) release sees them firmly implanted in stardom, recording in Capitol Studios and playing gigs like Outside Lands, a day after an Aquarius in-store. Incredibly catchy, contagious, simple themes of heartbreak and love and being… HAPPY (imagine that?). For every great 10 songs she writes one that stands out above the rest, epic, for the ages. On the last album these were “When I’m with you” and “I wish he was my boyfriend”; this time it’s the first/title track, an anthem for all of us who love living in California (though the state is never mentioned by name). The song just drips with sunshine and redwood tree fog. Pop doesn’t get much better than this. You have to look to The Raspberries, Beach Boys, Pixies, Nirvana, Muffs, Shangri Las, Carpenters, Breeders otherwise.

1) bright and cheery, precisely what you would expect, all about living in and loving in California
2) another hip shaker, upbeat, “you don’t know why I cry”
3) sock hop slow dance waltz, “when my money is gone then I’ll have to write another song” (no problem it seems for this band)
4) “I don’t wanna die, I wanna live my life” upbeat
5) lilting waltzing w/ SOARING vocals, takes flight, beautiful
6) simple, chill, all about the vocals “I don’t wanna be how they want me to be”
7) almost swingy, “no fun when I’m freaking out”
8) familiar 70’s hook, lyric, melody, upbeat
9) darker, sultry feel with vibes instead of guitar, completely different feel from rest
10) super upbeat, “I don’t wanna be anywhere else but home”
11) slower pretty, “I don’t know what day it is cuz I’ve been up all night… I wanna see you forever”, string arrangements