Ripley Johnson’s Rose City Band project started as an act of wish fulfillment. One of the creative minds behind Wooden Shjips and Moon Duo just wanted to “start a country-rock band so I can retire and just play down at the pub every Thursday night during happy hour.” The resulting first album in 2019 was a hazy stroll through the morning dew of a not yet technicolor world. With hints of psychedelia and twang, it was a peak at the source of a style of music before it heads further out into the cosmos.

One year later, Johnson is back with Summerlong, an album that echoes Rose City Band’s quiet beginnings but imbues its primal sound with brightness and warmth that is worthy of its title. Brokedown Pod’s Jonathan Hart joins us to discuss this latest chapter in Ripley Johnson’s wild trip across the universe.

In the modern music era, most new releases come saddled with histories we’re supposed to believe in, recycled narratives, and increasingly thirsty marketing “hooks.” Which is what makes Rose City Band’s self-titled debut such a unicorn of an album.

There are only two things that we know for sure about this band:

1) Ripley Johnson (Moon Duo, Wooden Shjips) produced it.

2) It jams.

Refreshing AF, right?

Special guest Jonathan Hart (Brokedown Pod) joins us to discuss why Rose City Band is destined to be the soundtrack of your Summer, the resurgence of “jam band” music in the mainstream, and more.

On her latest LP Goners, Laura Gibson is taking on grief and the joy that can be found through grieving, and the result is her strongest record yet. Lush, adventurous, and human AF, Goners drags the listener down to the bottom, where it may be dark, but at least you’ve got good company.

PLUS: Maryjo Mattea is in pretty much ALL of the bands in Washington, D.C., and on her new single she’s being joined by good friend Cody Valentine (Allthebestkids) for a potent tale of personal empowerment and the joys that are out there waiting for us when we set ourselves free.