La Sera - La Sera (2011)

La sera is the solo project of Katy Goodman, better known for being one of the Vivian Girls, and this band is been one helping shape post rock and noise and establish a powerful presence among the all girl bands, beating up other attempts and reminding great ones like Black Tambourine. That said, it can be completely expected that Goodman will try not to do some Shoegaze on her own, but inspired in 50’s and 60’s pop, therefore less punk and less noise.

Alone the idea of the project seem beautiful, and the single “Never Come Around” seems to point to a right direction, putting Goodman in a position to return to the romance of sounding like an amateur performer acting for the first time, the Phil Spector nostalgia comes in times but never really accomplishing the true sentiment of the era that is trying to portray, also with vary plane sounds that don’t change, everything in the same volume at once, this is something that Phil Spector probably could do but the arrangement that create the wall of sound go building the space, in Goodman’s case this sound is attempted repeatedly but never quite accomplished.

The songs have a very straight forward simple pop melody, the themes are boys and shit, and something that lacks is the personality enough to pull off the project as a solo artist, the level of expectation of one of the oh so great Vivian Girls working on her own never quite expected a project that sounds like Best Coast meets She & Him, and less having less personality that either one (I’m not saying that Best Coast or She & Him are bad), if one thing I think about this LP is that Goodman made a great song and single and then tried to fill it up with some other songs that doesn’t really stick to your head or have something interesting to put to the table.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Vivian Girls, and I love the 50’s and 60’s Phil Spector produced records, I also love the Shoegaze that tries to sound this way and is not a secret my love for Lo-Fi, I just judge this LP harshly because this is no new girl in town trying to do something Lo-Fi; this album still has charm, non of the songs are really to hate but it doesn’t have enough personality to stand on its own.

P.S: The video is one of the best videos of this year so far...it won't be forgotten <3

Tracklist:

1. Beating Heart
2. Never Come Around
3. You're Going To Cry
4. Sleeptalking
5. I Promise You
6. Left This World
7. Hold
8. Under the Trees
9. Devils Hearts Grow Gold
10. Dove Into Love
11. Been Here Before
12. Lift Off

Rate: 5.7/10

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