[Repost from Add to Wantlist; by Dennis, November 6, 2023]
Wilmington, North Carolina-based indie pop band Summer Set originally was founded over twenty years ago by Brian Weeks and Robert Rogan, then joined by a revolving cast of friends including Jeff Reardon, Seth Moody, Jonathan Bass and Tripp Cox. Although they released some self-produced work in their early years, we can consider this self-titled overview of ten previous highlights as their first proper album. We are taken on a pleasant journey through time along almost-perfect guitar songs full of hooks and evocative lyrics (from uptempo standout track Favorite Places: “Then we went to the park, tried to get there before dark // Hand on my knee sipping Japanese tea, yeah you”). That Weeks and Rogan have taken a more electronic path in between with their contemporary R&B project De La Noche is reflected in the synth-driven tracks Red Wine (in which Toto’s Africa is sampled) and An Invitation, which shows how versatile they are. All in all, this is a melancholic, atmospheric and dreamy retrospective that leaves us wanting more, and reportedly we don’t even have to wait that long for new tunes.
Summer Set’s self-titled album is out now digitally and on vinyl LP through Fort Lowell Records.
