It has been postulated that Bay Area artists experience the world differently. From well read understandings of record store savoir faire, the modern and new contemporary canons and other respective troves of influential knowledge and limitless talents; these aesthetes conduct crafts guided by the enchanted breeze of the Pacific offshore winds to create musical paintings of unrelenting splendor. Beholden to this time honored tradition rises the solo works of Vallejo-based beloved cult pop wonder R. E. Seraphin with the release of the Swingshift EP. The latest offering from the former Talkies bandleader distills your favorite power pop phenomena into a DIY blender, riding high into a new stratosphere of new-new romantic revelry and grace unbound.

Seraphin demonstrates an intuitive and academic understanding of the latter twentieth century's musical movements. "Playing House" rocks like a post-glam hold out that bleeds into the era when the post-punks embraced the brave new worlds of possibility that the no wave sects afforded in terms of experimentation and fusion. The bold bombast of "Big Break" is the quintessential power ballad that basks in the volition of going for the proverbial gold, setting sights for the top of the charts, setting the dials and knobs straight for the heart of the sun and so forth. "Stuck in Reno" sounds like the quintessential Americana ramblin', gamblin' DIY ballad of being broke and down (but not yet out) from a dream supergroup fronted by Lawrence, Maurice Deebank and Christopher Owens collectively. Leaning into the merits of being against perfection, "The Virtue of Being Wrong" exalts the tenets of having room to grow like a great underground 80s classic that never before materialized. "Miss Grief" maintains that moody jangle charm with heavy feels, a bouquet of floral guitars and a fountain of emotive tones and touches.

The fervent, heart on the sleeve rocker "I'll Be Around" is an earworm that burrows itself deep into the consciousness, extoling a commitment of care dressed up as a future classic. The closing track "This Time There's No Happy Ending" features Ray's trademark smoky delivery in a song that is remarkably upbeat, rocking against the gravity of entropy indicative of the conundrums and calamities we contend with in our contemporary era. Swingshift presents a take on modern life, the things we hold dear, the fears that are rooted in our unconscious and the hopes we have in those and all of whom we love (and the potential for unlimited beauty that lies in the passage ways of whatever shall arrive next in the chapters that are still left unwritten). Join us after the jump for an exclusive exploration of interests penned by R. E. Seraphin:

Presenting modern day power pop saint R. E. Seraphin

Fermenting

I've been managing a spice shop for the past few years and, prior to that, worked in restaurants for a long time. So I guess you could say I'm a food guy. That said, I've only recently gotten into lacto-fermenting. I love a quick pickle, but there's something extra satisfying about watching a bunch of chilis slowly being enveloped in their own stinky juices and then making a killer batch of hot sauce with them. (Safely) homemade pickles are a great gift, too.

Baseball caps

While I've never been the image of sartorial excellence, I tried to embrace a sort of black shirt & chinos minimalism in my late 20s as an attempt to dress age appropriately. Currently though, I'm super into dumb hats and band t-shirts. I have quite a cap selection but right now my fave is this truly garish NRBQ hat that I bought from their website. I like to imagine my style becoming increasingly boyish as I get older. I’m envisioning chain wallets, Big Dog shirts, and JNCO shorts when I hit my 40s.

Bill Fox

Incredible and mysterious songwriter whose curious blend of cryptic, often biblical lyrics and nursery rhyme-like melodies have been a source of inspiration lately. He's probably most recognized as the craggy-voiced frontman of '80s Cleveland pop punk band The Mice; however, I think his solo albums have a touch more magic to them. I think at least one of them was reissued last year (Transit Byzantium), so they should be gettable. I read his Wiki a few months ago and there was a note from a concerned party suggesting Bill was missing, but that seems to have been removed. (Like I said: mysterious).

Day trips

I'm a Late in Life Driver (LiLD) so I sorta just discovered the joy of taking frequent road trips. Being in the Bay Area, there is no shortage of quaint little enclaves nearby. My partner and I have been spending a lot of time in the Sonoma area. There’s a bakery called Wild Flour in Freestone that has an amazing za’atar-nigella olive bread, then we usually hit up Dillon Beach or go hiking. In the fall, there’s some good apple picking to be done.

Crossword puzzles

Shamefully and regrettably, I’ve fallen into the Wordle hole. I also like Poetl – the NBA equivalent where you guess who a player is based on their silhouette. I’ve also taken to doing the daily crossword puzzle on Dictionary.com. They reuse a lot of the same answers (I think Steve Kerr has been in like six so far), and they’re truthfully a li’l dull, so they’re been a wonderful sleeping aid. I’ve given up on trying to put away my phone before bed and the crossword puzzle prevents me from doom scrolling into the morning. Plus, I like to think I’m gearing up for my senior years – keeping my mind sharp as I creep into decrepitude.

R. E. Seraphim’s Swingshift EP is available now.