Bonny Doon - Bonny Doon (2017)

Bonny Doon's mastery of restraint and melodically vulnerable songwriting comes into its own on their self-titled debut full length. Previous homespun EP releases introduced a band residing in an unusual territory between songcraft and atmosphere. This record ventures further down that path, but comes together with a disarming timelessness, making even the stranger moments feel familiar. Its essence is floating, folk-ish rock that summons the tossed-off grandeur of early Smog or the Silver Jews boombox tapes, and the dead-eyed poignancy of Neil Young's gloriously unhinged Ditch Trilogy. In Detroit, they have become a beloved experience, with three years of live sets that teeter between a gentle intimacy and almost transcendent looseness. And though it took three years, the band has finally succeeded in capturing the complete spirit of Bonny Doon, creating a breathing web of sound that feels equally sublime and accidental.