Rose City Band : Sol Y Sombra

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Rose City Band Sol y Sombra review

When tragedy strikes, it can be easy to give into despair, but it’s also possible to face those challenges with hope. That doesn’t mean dismissing reality or repressing sadness, but rather, accepting the pain and moving forward knowing there’s something to be hopeful for. This is the concept at the heart of Sol Y Sombra, the fifth studio album from Portland country rock outfit Rose City Band

Since their 2019 self-titled debut, vocalist/guitarist Ripley Johnson has used Rose City Band as a vehicle to create uplifting music, but in the case of Sol Y Sombra, he changes course a bit. Speaking about the new record in a press release, Johnson says, “This time I couldn’t avoid the shadow being more of a presence. There’s no getting away from it. The shadow is always there. So, I left it in.” 

Neither Rose City Band’s instrumentation nor Johnson’s lyrics lean into the gloom here; instead, the band’s performances capture a sense of contemplative melancholy that never feels oppressively sad, nor is it all sunshine and rainbows. Moreover, that instrumentation facilitates a welcoming air around Johnson’s lyrics, creating a gentle means of processing the darkness.

On “Lights on the Way,” Johnson opens the album by singing, “Living the life / And never fear the day / The shadows fall / But I can see it anyway.” The steady drum beat, accompanied by the warmth of the guitar performances, creates such a soothing atmosphere that the idea of loosening up and riding along to the melody and Johnson’s words proves infectious. This approach to gentle presentation flows right into “Open Roads,” the band’s arrangement capturing this ease that feels like going nowhere in particular on an open road on a sunny day. In the chorus, Johnson sings, “It seems I could roll back / For the lights unseen / Feel the wrecks of the open road / In the night so free,” conveying an idea that, while life is going to have cracks and bumps, it can still be a great journey.

“Evergreen” drops the tempo, while the guitars twang in soft waves, and Johnson speaks of a feeling of being stuck and learning to sit with discomfort while moving forward: “Won’t like it but I’ll stay / Never wanted to feel caged / In a vault without a key / Down the road to Portland Green.” “Sunlight Daze” also captures a similar essence, the melodic drawl and twang exhibiting a somber air as Johnson sings of the universality of loneliness. 

Despite the album’s contemplative mood, there’s always a progressive momentum flowing through it. There will be times where we need to sit with feelings of sadness and loneliness, however, though like all things, they are temporary. On “Seeds of Light,” Johnson sings “Feel the night / In darkness lies a story / Wheel of life / The time in circles forming,” which feels like a beautiful if stern reminder that, while shit happens, we can learn from our struggles.

Sol Y Sombra feels appropriate for this moment. It’s never easy to sit with pain or fear, but what helps in addressing those moments is how we decide to show up for that ache, and what we learn from it. Not to romanticize it, not to wallow in it, but to allow ourselves to feel it. Cry, feel sadness and anger, but don’t lose hope, and be kind to yourself. Through Johnson’s lyrics and the band’s emotionally rich instrumentation, Rose City Band convey this beautiful lesson in Sol Y Sombra. It’s the kind of album where, even if you feel stuck in the shadows, within its melodies are reminders that there’s light ahead.


Label: Thrill Jockey

Year: 2025


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