Admiral Radley, a hybrid band composed of members from Grandaddy and Earlimart, pays homage to the Golden State with their debut full-length, I Heart California. The two bands had toured and played together for some time, so it’s no surprise that this new outfit, comprising Jason Lytle and Aaron Burtch of Grandaddy and Aaron Espinoza and Ariana Murray of Earlimart, sounds so comfortable and easy. On the title track, Lytle waxes ironic about all of the reasons why he loves his home state, with “ice tea in my hair/ drugs fall out of diaper bags as Midwesterners stare.” For most of the album, the tracks have a nostalgic, poppy feel, with Lytle’s characteristic keyboards and a lot of sweet vocals and melodies from Espinoza and Murray. It’s a great, very accessible album that should make fans of either (or both) bands pretty happy. – Written by DBosket
SIMILAR | Avi Buffalo, Earlimart, Grandaddy, Happy Birthday, Jason Lytle, Radar Bros., Sparklehorse, The Thrills