You may know Californian singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Sam Blasucci as one half of roots-rock duo Mapache, but we also recently saw him pop up behind Ryan Baine. And now he releases his full-length solo debut Off My Stars, which wasn’t accomplished by playing the guitar as usual, but – worth noting – on the piano that he took over from the mother of his Mapache bandmate Clay Finch. At first hearing, the new music is not even very different from that of his other projects, this also is folky indie pop with a laid-back and summery vibe, yet on closer listening you do hear quite some deviation in terms of orchestration (unpretentious) and lyrics (personal). The three stripped-down covers – Dido’s Thank You, The Cranberries’ Linger and Jimmy Fontana’s Il Mondo (heartfelt sung in Italian) – fit well here, but would feel out of place on a Mapache record. Expect 46 gentle and tender minutes that go beyond Sha La La.
Off My Stars, produced by Johnny Payne, is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Innovative Leisure / Calico Discos.
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