In today’s musical landscape, artists have attempted to transcend our millennial reality of instantaneous gratification and imitate previous generations. Unfortunately, in most cases, the finished product can seem disingenuous, plastic, and forced. You’re Dreaming, the debut LP from Minneapolis-based brother duo The Cactus Blossoms set for release on January 22nd via Red House Records, has exactly the opposite effect on the listener.
The opening track, “Stoplight Kisses”, immediately transports the listener to an era of good ol’ days long gone by; evoking the sounds of dust bowl country and a time when handwritten letters were the best means of communication, one is immediately swept away into a sea of nostalgia. “Clown Collector”, with its boot-stompin’ shuffle and rich blood harmonies, reminiscent of a modern Everly Brothers’ sound with a bit more grit, and the sway of “Powder Blue”, mentally relocates the listener to a mid-1960s ocean boardwalk bathed in sunset light.
The album finishes strong with the mysterious locomotive-like crooning of “Change Your Ways or Die”, and slight hints of Dick Dale, as well as touches of the Beach Boys in “No More Crying the Blues”. As with the emergence of artists such as Kacey Musgraves and Sturgill Simpson who are redirecting the country music scene back to its original roots, The Cactus Blossoms are a much-needed ray of light shining hope on our modern country music scene.
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