‘lonestar’ is a compilation focusing on Texas talent that goes beyond a genre. Entering a community we initially knew little about, we were greeted by beautiful and talented artists who welcomed us as family. this is an album made by friends for friends.

And some talented friends they have. Mouse Trap set the tone with the hushed sincerity of ‘Falling in Love’, the lo-fi textures conjuring a nostalgic innocence, and Crisman follows this with the equally patient and gentle ‘Go’. There are covers too, with Bare Mountain taking Emily Yacina’s ‘Miss You’ and further softening its edges and Skirts ejecting the mischievous energy of Alex G’s ‘Brite Boy’ to leave a vulnerable, heartbroken murmur.

Dead Sullivan do nothing to puncture the quiet haze with ‘Win’, and Fuvk’s ‘Madeline’ is equally sad and languorous, at least until the guitars bite back and introduce bolts of energy within the cloudy soundscape. The track signals something of a change of tempo for the release, as China Club bounce into the frame with the effervescent ‘Gucci Rainboots’, and although William Austin Clay’s ‘Flip’ loses some of the hyperactive edge, there are plenty elastic beats and fun vocal effects to keep things sprightly. ‘Game’ by Picnics does possess some of the groove of the previous track, though stretched like taffy so as to achieve a languid float.

With the dreamy mood reestablished, Why Bonnie enter with their stellar brand of duvet dream pop, before Hovvdy‘s distinctively sympathetic sadness drifts like evening dust. All that’s left then if for Pissing Boy to close things out with ‘There’s Just Life and Rings of Rubber’, a pastel-coloured piano ballad that morphs into noise rock before any vocals can emerge—a triumphant and affirming cacophony that captures the connection and kinship that marks the release.

lonestar: a texas friends and family compilation is out now and you can get it from the Peach Bloom Bandcamp page.

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Tracklisting:

Dear Nora – White Fur
Lawn – 2000 Boy
Pearl Crush – True Blue
Dead Painters – Fool On Fire
Slowcoaches – Found Down
Two Meters – Left Behind
Kerem Atalay – Winter 2
Pat Moon – I Belong
Blood Hype – Not Too Good
Talons’ – Driving Home From Shows
The Nova Darlings – I Like Crashing My Car (Into Yours)
Dead Sullivan – Swallow
Onlyness – Comfortable
Of the Valley – Italy
Nice Knees – Backout
Suburban Pets – Candy
Minor Moon – It’s Okay
Caroline Lazar – Georgia
Heatwarmer – American Dog
Jacob Furr – Life Comes At You Fast
Deux Trois – Dave
Grace Turner – Dead or Alive
Britton Patrick Morgan – Southern Drawl

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Today we have the pleasure of unveiling second track, and again the spring imagery is present in the title. However, the song does not plump for the stereotypical springtime vibe of wonder and joy, instead opting for something a little more unsettled. Despite it’s minimal nature, ‘Swallow’ is impressively atmospheric, gauzy guitar and soft percussion swirling around Patrello’s gently mumbled vocals. As such, the track possesses an air of numbness, the melancholy repressed within the murmured vocals though implied through the sedate tempo. This eventually rises into something a little more upbeat, the track finding a sparkled groove once the vocals have finished, though the words that came before offer a bittersweet context.

“I never saw you
That’s what I like
I’ll take ’em all dude
That’s Friday night
Fall down and drink up
That’s what I like
Swallow after suck
That’s Friday night”

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