Rose City Band is the solo project of Ripley Johnson (Wooden Shjips, Moon Duo).

Stepping out from behind the psychedelic haze that envelops his other output, Rose City Band’s lean yet richly textured arrangements lay bare the beauty of his songcraft. On ‘Earth Trip’, Johnson reveals more of himself than ever before, colouring the project’s country-rock twang with a melancholic, wistful undertone. It charts a journey of personal growth and introspection with surprising honesty, from pining for summers spent with friends to meditations on space, stillness and the splendour of the natural world.

It continues Rose City Band’s celebration of summer warmth and the great outdoors, seen from a new vantage point and with newfound appreciation for the freedom and joy that nature provides.

Through its daring honesty and masterful arrangements, ‘Earth Trip’ cements Johnson’s place as a singular songwriter of inimitable skill. Its message of mindfulness and our interconnectedness to the environment expands on a long country and blues music tradition that draws a symbiotic relationship between storyteller and the land, capturing the beauty of the natural world while also emphasising our responsibility in preserving it for future generations.

‘Earth Trip’ features an incredible line up of guests including drummer John Jeffrey (Moon Duo), Sanae Yamada (Moon Duo) on piano, Ryan Jewell and Barry Walker on pedal steel guitar.

Mixed by Cooper Crain (Bitchin’ Bajas, Cave) at Electrical Audio and mastering by Amy Dragon at Telegraph Mastering.

Now available to independent retailers on Sunshine Yellow coloured vinyl in deluxe LP packaging, die-cut jacket with 4-colour printing on both the outside and inside of the jacket. Also with fully artworked heavy-weight cardstock printed inner sleeve and digital download card.

“Ripley Johnson has been responsible for some of the past decade’s most mesmeric and beguiling albums.” – The Guardian

“[Johnson’s] Rose City Band incarnation may be his most dazzling and uplifting so far… transforms the fuzz-drenched thrust of Johnson’s usual music into a beatific choogle, a modest but potent means of escape from the realities of 2020” – MOJO