- Zoran Orlic
- The Autumn Defense (John Stirratt and Pat Sansone)
I’ve always been a fan of the elegant, meticulous retro-pop of the Autumn Defense, the long-running project of Pat Sansone and John Stirratt—better known to most folks as members of Wilco. The pair craft guitar pop with clear antecedents—the Beatles, Big Star, the Zombies, Raspberries, and the Beach Boys, among others—marked by a predilection for the soothing sounds of 70s soft rock. Last month the group released its fifth album—which is probably why they titled it Fifth (Yep Roc)—and they’ve never sounded more assured, serving up their most consistent batch of irresistible hooks and pitch-perfect vocal harmonies yet. There’s no way you’d confuse the music with anything one would consider groundbreaking, but I don’t think that’s what they’re shooting for.
Today’s playlist:
