La Sera

Solo projects often give a window into a musician's personal contributions to an established act. As bassist and backing vocalist in Brooklyn noise punk trio Vivian Girls, Katy Goodman (aka Kickball Katy) provides the bottom end for the group's driving, two-minute attacks, as well as splashes of vocal harmony with singer/guitarist Cassie Ramone. As La Sera, the redheaded bassist's ear for syrupy vocals takes center stage. With electric guitar pushed to the sidelines, La Sera's debut replaces the lo-fi punk spirit of Vivian Girls with a twee pop sensibility and clear fondness for girl groups of the '50s and '60s. Though the album is seldom groundbreaking, it showcases a young musician fleeing a comfort zone that has subjected her main act to torrents of cynical backlash. A lover of classic groups like The Shirelles and The Chiffons, Katy's pop songs are filled with heartbreak and tales of lost loves off in L.A. (See the single "Never Come Around.") "Been Here Before" adds a welcome hint of guitar spike in the vein of Shop Assistants, while the surf rock bass of "Under the Trees" and the swooning sway of "I Promise You" make perfect sense in this setting. For those who value allegiance to one's record collection and straight-from-the-diary lyrics, La Sera offers a vulnerable look into the spirit of the Brooklyn punk scene.