Rose City Band’s Twangy Psychedelia Gets Sonic Liftoff With ‘Sol Y Sombra’ (ALBUM REVIEW)

photo by Sanae Yamada

Rose City Band, led by guitarist and vocalist Ripley Johnson, has carved a unique lane for themselves in modern country. While the burgeoning scene crashes pop charts and intertwines with pop more than ever, the band’s lighthearted, psychedelic take is a welcomed change of pace. Since the band mysteriously appeared in 2019, their sun-drenched approach has evolved into a twangy powerhouse that follows the beat of its infectious drum. Fans have become accustomed to Johnson and company’s jovial melodies and lush vocals, but Rose City Band showcases a nuanced growth on their new album. Sol Y Sombra, which translates to Sun and Shadow, is the Rose City Band’s most ambitious work. Across ten honed yet expansive tracks, looming darkness attempts to cloud the band’s typically breezy tunes as they battle reality while trying to keep one foot in the sound they crafted over the years. 

Upon first listen, Sol Y Sombra sounds like another day in the office for Rose City Band. Cloud-like vocals cascade around twangy psychedelia, but it isn’t until you give these songs your undivided attention that the shift in the band becomes evident. Their tempos have slowed down, their arrangements are less based on ethereal melodies, and they are more so rooted in poetic songwriting; these songs have a new sense of majority. Rather than stick to a specific formula, Rose City Band allowed their emotions to drive these songs, making Sol Y Sombra a more vulnerable outing than other releases. This isn’t a brand new Rose City Band but a reimagining of a veteran band looking to make sense of it all. 

The band reaches for solace in strange, cosmic places on Sol Y Sombra. The vague songwriting allows the listener to step into Johnson’s shoes to understand the album’s eerie sonic direction. These ten songs find the band downtrodden but not hopeless as Rose City Band employs an enticing sonic conflict throughout the LP. However, with every heartbreaking realization comes a shred of sunlight. If it weren’t for Rose City Band’s ability to blend their new songwriting prowess with their nostalgic sound, moments like “Sunlight Daze” and “Radio Song” would never work positioned next to each other on a tracklist. Therein lies the magic of Sol Y Sombra. It is an album that showcases growth while never forgetting your roots, but it’s possible to stick to your roots too much. 

While Sol Y Sombra is a clear switch for Rose City Band, there are moments where the band feels hesitant to dive headfirst into the said switch. Moments like “Evergreen” and “Rolling Gold” tell the tale of a complete evolution for the band, with the slow-burning arrangements keeping pace with the heartwrenching songwriting. Then, songs like “Seed of Light” lean on the band’s old ways. While each side of Sol Y Sombra is impressively infectious in its own right, it leaves the tracklist feeling a bit discombobulated. While Johnson’s wistful vocals tie each end of the album together, the darker moments truly shine and detail a new creative spirit for the band. 


Rose City Band’s Sol Y Sombra attempts to balance where the band is heading and where they have been, all while trying to make sense of the present moment. A daring concept album is no easy task to take on, let alone execute, and while these ten songs can sometimes feel disconnected, Sol Y Sombra is far from an album to overlook.

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