Brushfire

On their fourth release, California’s ALO does what it does best which, ironically, is never doing the same thing twice. Sounds Like This finds the deliriously inventive funk-meets all-of-the-above outfit abandoning familiar shores for an exciting swim through their collective stream of conscious. Songs deliberately written and recorded in the moment distill studio conventions and capture the band’s legendary live show energy. The net result is an album brimming with expansive imagination and natural vibe. Improvisational sparks ignite everything from winding tales of starry-eyed songwriters ( “Blew Out the Walls” ) to irresistible grooves on forlorn love ( “Speed of Dreams” ). With bite-size songs ( “Storms and Hurricanes” ) alongside main course jams ( “Room for Bloomin” ), Sounds Like This offers an ALO fit for anyone’s tastes.