It’s the first week of June, which unofficially marks the season of sand, shorts and Ray Bans. To appropriately welcome this commemorative time, the track of the week is from solo producer/multi-instrumentalist Andy Catlin, better known by his stage name in this case, Lasso.
Representing Kalamazoo, Lasso serves as a sonic snapshot embodying the city and its musical direction. Lasso’s latest album, Golden Lasso, was released from Catlin's Double Phelix record label, which houses a Kalamazoo-based collective of artists.
On Golden Lasso, Catlin welcomes in various guest musicians to create an effortless mix of vocals and live instrumentation, ideal for a summer afternoon. The project supplies us with an innovative blend between psych rock and country western sounds, meeting at the intersection of a psychedelic Beach Boys and a calm western saloon with wooden swing doors, before the bad guys show up to rob the spot.
The cohesive sounding project features light, subtle vocals, opening the door for Lasso to flex his instrumentation. Some tracks intentionally feature lapses of vocals, which allow listeners to focus purely on their harmonious melodies. When the beats lose your attention, listening to the vocals can lead to another western rodeo. Less is more and there is plenty here to vibe to.
We chose the track "Curios," off the latest record. Check it out.
