‘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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With an array of styles and influences across the twenty-three songs, there truly is something for everyone. Try Isabel Rex‘s oddly melancholic ode to amusing genetic copies of famous people, MagicPerm’s blissed-out memorial of a forgotten Toon Disney gem and WTD favs Nice Legs‘ surf rock anthem for everybody’s favourite infant puppets. Or maybe you’d prefer Queer Jane’s take on those meddling kids, Lake Michigan‘s bummed-out nod to a semi-fictional Will Smith or Ainsworth’s tribute to Mister Rodgers (and his inspirational acceptance speech)?

Elsewhere, Casper Heyzeus attack their pizza-loving effort with the hyperactive energy of child actors in action figure TV commercials, IZE offer something strange and sultry enough to make Lynch himself proud and Pet Cemetery takes the theme of your teenage angst and makes it seem insular and strange, a song for one of Orange County’s outsiders who never appeared on screen because they were always locked in their gloomy bedroom playing records.

In other words, this is a near-enough perfect compilation for those of us who grew up under the ever-present bombardment of photon-based entertainment. Listen to the whole thing below and let nostalgia burn through the white noise of your image narcosis:

Artwork by Mimi Jaffe

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