Week of 3.9.15

Album spotlight: Sonny and the Sunsets – Talent Night at the Ashram

Like daylight saving time, “Talent Night at the Ashram” treats us to a bit of extra sunshine every day.

Sonny Smith is based out of San Francisco and his tenth album sounds very West Coast. The warm, bright vocal harmony that opens the album on “The Application” sounds like a take from a long lost Beach Boys single. “Alice Leaves for the Mountains” features more shimmering vocal harmonies about a mysterious California girl and her car, like a darker and mellower version of a Jan and Dean tune.

Sonny and his band pay homage to a style created fifty years ago. “Talent Night at the Ashram” is a success because it manages to take an enjoyable current approach to classic California beach pop-rock without coming off like a rip-off.

Start with: “The Application,” “Alice Leaves for the Mountains” and “Icelene’s Loss”

Recommended if you like: The Beach Boys, WAVVES, Ty Segall and building sandcastles. 

WXOU’s top ten albums for 3.9.15

1. FATHER JOHN MISTY, I Love You, Honeybear

2. CLOAKROOM, Further Out

3. TITLE FIGHT, Hyperview

4. TWERPS, Range Anxiety

5. SLEATER-KINNEY, No Cities To Love

6. JOSE GONZALEZ, Vestiges And Claws

7. NATALIE PRASS, Natalie Prass

8. JD MCPHERSON, Let The Good Times Roll

9. SONNY AND THE SUNSETS, Talent Night At The Ashram

10. JEFF ROSENSTOCK, We Cool?

The WXOU Music Department submits a weekly list of its 30 top albums to the College Music Journal that are currently being played at the station.

Tune into 88.3 FM WXOU Radio to hear these hits all week or visit wxou.org for more.