Ito and the Moonlight Hippies. (Hannah Souders Photo)
There is always a light at the end of even the darkest of tunnels.
Shining brightly from the other side is Ito and the Moonlight Hippies’ new album, Spirit of the Redwoods.
As the title implies, Redwoods is a soul-stirring and uplifting music experience. There is an overarching, and much-needed, sense of optimism that permeates throughout the band’s hybrid of Jane’s Addiction-meets-Rusted Root alt-rock.
Galen Deery’s vocals are especially strong, from the album’s first note to its last. (Deery also plays ukulele.)
The Easton-based quartet’s use of dynamics is also impressive.
Redwoods kicks off with “The Bridge.” The song starts off calmly enough before building to a spectacular and bombastic crescendo. It also flows nicely into the follow-up track, “Shine” (one of the album’s many standout tracks).
The group takes a similar approach on “My Heart is in the Tree.”
Later, they offer up a bouncy, mid-tempo island jam with “Ganesha.” The song features one of several killer solos by guitarist Will Coccia.
Clocking in at more than seven minutes, “Breathe” is a slow burn that pays off with a gut-busting climax accentuated by a scorching, David Gilmour-esque solo from Coccia.
Not to be outdone, bassist Simon Deery and drummer/percussionist Michael Lear also bring their A-game. They are an impeccably tight rhythm section; their bounce is felt in every step along the way.
The group packs a lot of music, and punch, into Redwoods’ hefty hour and 14-minute run time. There are moments where it feels like the band is throwing too much at the wall and doesn’t quite all stick. But it’s not enough to detract from the overall listening experience.
Don’t let the time stamp keep you at bay.
Sit back and enjoy the journey.
Ito and the Moonlight Hippies’ “Spirit of the Redwoods” is available digitally.