Fat Possum

Led by California Renaissance man Sonny Smith (he’s not only a musician, but also a playwright, actor, columnist and social worker), Sonny & The Sunsets’ sophomore album offers an effortless mix of upbeat beach-punk, jangly indie-pop, 1950s doo-wop and even a psychedelic instrumental “The Bad Energy From LA Is Killing Me.” In order to make this sonic pastiche work, Smith enlisted some of the Bay Area’s finest musicians to be his Sunsets, including Kelley Stoltz, Tahlia Harbour (Citay), John Dwyer (Thee Oh Sees), Ryan Browne and others. The results are joyous and infectious but what’s most impressive is that Hit After Hit never feels forced – authentic enough to appeal to everyone from hippies to hipsters without alienating anyone.