What makes the perfect summer records? Many different answers could be offered, depending on your stand on blissful melodies, sweeping melancholic lyrics, the use of acoustic instruments and eyes-closed-facing-the-sun vibes. Gardens & Villa, a fivesome hailing from Santa Barbara, California, where they obviously know a thing or two about these things, offer you all that. And synths. And flutes. Exuberant, warm sounding and just enough intricate and intimate underneath its shiny surface, their debut album is a confident statement, evoking the adventurous spirit of krautrock and the sheer class of Morricone and inviting them both to an afternoon pool party. Singer Chris Lynch gave us a little insight into the minds and lives of the band. Read the rest of this entry »