Desario is a Sacramento band led by guitarist/vocalist John Conley and guitarist/keyboardist Michael Yoas (who engineered it as well…..the combo is rounded out by Mike Carr on bass and Kirklyn Cox on drums). You might remember Conley’s name as he’s been in a few terrific combos over the years, namely Holiday Flyer and California Oranges to name but two (I first met John and his sister Katie in the mid-90s when they came to a show or two that I had booked in Santa Rosa, CA at a place called Café This).
Desario is a bit different than his previous combos, guitars that bite a bit more and while there is plenty of jangle in the guitars, they seem a bit tougher this time out. I’ve always like Conley’s voice, certainly pleasant and perfect for this type of music. Signal and Noise is their 4th full-length and definitely my favorite by them as the band has really focused on the songwriting and tightened things up all the way around. Cuts like ‘Strange Shapes,” “Nevergreen” and the dreamy “Wake Up” exude a certain confidence that I hadn’t heard on previous records. “Throw It Back” is another, top-notch/mid-tempo winner. The recording is ultrafine as well. It sounds well-produced and clear without sounding slick.
I wish it wasn’t so long in between records but hey, these guys are working stiffs like the rest of us with jobs and lives so I should really cut ‘em some slack. 9 songs in 31 minutes, which is a perfect length for me.
