Let There Be Music

Bonny Doon are a band whove built a career out of being amiably laid-back, and that hasnt changed with their third full-length album, 2023s Let There Be Music. They may have switched from herbal tea to a nice orange pekoe, however, because this is noticeably livelier and more polished than their previous work. The easygoing flow of their performances hasnt changed, but theres less of country and folk influences in this music, and their love of 70s soft rock has grown, so much so that "Maybe Today" and "Naturally" suggest the group found a wrinkle in time that allowed them to travel to Laurel Canyon in 1972 and bring back the tapes they recorded during their stay. (The fact that one of the members of the group, founded in Detroit, now calls Northern California home may or may not be a coincidence.) Theres just enough playful wit in this music to confirm this was written in the 2020s -- "Crooked Creek" reminds us that if youre stepping in shit, youre probably on the right path, and that God is their friend who stops by for a beer every once in a while, while "Fine Afternoon" finds the narrator telling his love about a dream where he was playing in a wedding band with her father -- along with a bit of noisy guitar for punctuation every once in a while. Overall, Let There Be Music is the sound of Bonny Doon letting their soft rock flag fly and embracing the joys of a catchy melodic hook, and it works in their favor. The band also sound tighter and more focused this time out, maintaining a sunny, casual vibe but suggesting theyve played these tunes enough that theyve gotten the details nailed down nicely. Producer Brian Fox has given the recordings an unobtrusive clarity and warmth that flatters the material, and overall Let There Be Music pushes Bonny Doon and their music forward without forcing them out of their comfort zone. Imagine what might happen if they started drinking coffee. ~ Mark De ming