“Art is not truth. Art is a lie that makes us realize truth,” Pablo Picasso told The Arts reporter Marius de Zayas in 1923. More recently, in the spring of 2018, Loma revealed their own untruth at the Bootleg as part of a tour for their eponymous debut album. Even more lies await on their sophomore record, Don’t Shy Away—each one more illuminating than the last. Listen to Don’t Shy Away today and pick up a yellow vinyl copy on Sub Pop.
Though Cross provides the main voice, all three members of Loma contribute lyrics to a hazy tale that stretches across the record’s 11 songs. Deep brass is omnipresent and creates an unsettling atmosphere, which becomes more overwhelming as the album progresses.
“Ocotillo” is one of the more upbeat numbers toward the start, curling notes toward the heavens while acknowledging life is in “beautiful disarray.” Other joyous moments occur on “Half Silences” and “Breaking Waves Like a Stone,” two tracks that find comfort with a higher tempo.
Sawdust & Gin 