The Resonars-Lunar Kit

After four years, the Resonars have emerged from their Coma Cave Studios, burrowed somewhere in the cacti-strewn mountains surrounding Tucson, with an album that shines like a molten gold star on the Arizona state flag.  Like on their previous album “Bright and Dark,” “Lunar Kit” starts down the previous trails blazed by the Hollies, the Byrds and Love before veering off into a foothill neighborhood somewhere between the charming pop neighbors of the Blow Pops, Rock Four and Zumpano and out-of-their-heads hoods like the Loons, the Lears and Outrageous Cherry.  “Why Does it Have to be so Hard” proclaims some Electric Prunes albums have been playing up in the their mountain hideaway.  “She’s in Love with Her,” and “Flood Lamp Eyes,” could be beaming from radio ridge atop Mt. Lemmon—if the radio conglomerates ever looked back to history or beyond their shortsighted restrained formats and playlists (or if Little Steven replaces his batteries in his garage door opener).  The band really takes flight when they fasten their jet stream harmonies to the coiling and circling jangling guitars a la the Byrds on “Lunar Kit” and “Way Way Way Way Out.” The only wrong turn the band takes is “Little Spoiled Baby” which sounds like the band accidentally wandered into an overtly bad college bar and had to play some late-night wank blues before being allowed back out with their lives and instruments intact.   Before taking a cosmic rough ride back to the mountains, the Resonars address such earthly concerns as making it through the day and uncertain relationships with some sage-like lyrics submerged in a warm tube glow production.  The Resonars on “Lunar Kit” have once again bridged the summits of the mid-sixties sounds to an elevated place in the now.  Moreover, this still climbing band has opened up additional backcountry routes and magic hallows for listeners to discover and explore on & off their musical maps.