Orange Blood

On their third album, Philadelphia combo Mt. Joy continue to expand their sonic palette, this time taking on some of the dusty hues of the California desert where many of the songs were written. Like so many up-and-coming bands whose momentum was stalled by the global pandemic, Mt. Joy were on the brink of a major tour with the Lumineers when the industry ground to a halt. Founding members Matt Quinn and Sam Cooper spent part of the 2020 lockdown among the Joshua trees in southwestern California, contemplating their next move and trying to conjure a sense of positivity out of dire circumstances. When they eventually headed home to Philly, they had a clutch of songs that aimed to celebrate humanitys blessings and flaws in equal measure. Working once again with longtime producer Caleb Nelson, Orange Blood builds on Mt. Joys existing folk-rock foundation with layers of ambient psych-pop and loose, arid folk. The freewheeling rock of "Evergreen" and the sunny "Roly Poly" are high points among what is by and large a relatively laid-back set, especially in its latter half. "Lemon Tree" has a pleasing low-key expansiveness, and the poignant "Bang" pairs a rugged Neil Young-ish thump with soulful piano balladry. There are some dry patches, too, and like on previous releases, Mt. Joy struggle to establish a strong identity. Still, Orange Blood is a step in the right direction that boasts a handful of finely crafted tunes. ~ Timothy Monger