Cordovas
worship at the temple of
the Grateful Dead
, a devotion that isn't exactly uncommon in the 21st century, yet this adoration may come as a surprise to anybody familiar with the pure pop pleasures of
The War of Women
, the 2003 debut from the band's leader,
Joe Firstman
. Fifteen years separate
and
That Santa Fe Channel
, the official debut from
, and a lot has happened to
Firstman
since then, the most prominent being his stint leading the house band at Last Call with Carson Daly. Once he left that gig in 2011, he formed
, releasing an indie record shortly afterward. Another solo set followed in 2014 before he decided to put all his chips on
, polishing their rough-hewn sound and signing with
ATO
.
, their 2018
debut, showcases an amiable band that strolls along in the fashion of
American Beauty
, settling into a laid-back country groove with ease. Where many modern-day
Dead
homages tend to favor six-string explorations,
keep their focus on the song, a move underscored by an emphasis on ragged harmonies and an anchor of languid piano. The bandmembers never really get the tempo cooking -- the blues shuffle of "Standin' on the Porch" comes the closest -- but, then again, they never even try. Instead, they float in a haze, creating a soundtrack for sunny good times. If the songs are occasionally tripped up by their own rambling spirit -- in particular, the words are a shade too hippie-dippy, lacking specificity and grace -- the lazy vibes are nevertheless appealing, as
get their
tribute precisely right. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine