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Get Back Loretta returns with “Where did you go?”.  This is their first studio release since their 2007 single (released on vinyl) with Poseur Ink. For those of you living under a rock or under the cliffs in OB, you may not have heard of this incredibly original, aesthetically pleasing, super-tight indie-pop band. Here’s a textual description for what they sound like; imagine a record store that contains the some of the greatest rock albums which left indelible imprints on our modern musical landscape;  the revolutionary rock styling’s of The Beatles, on through the modern day rock geniuses, Radiohead. And in the corner, near the book cases filled with unscratched vinyl is a stack of early Modest Mouse. Oh, and what’s that? They have a wide assortment of pea coats and scarves too. Now, picture the Cold War Kids’ arguing over whether they should play a Baby Shambles record or not. Sounds ridiculous?

Just listen to Get Back Loretta’s new E.P., Where Did You Go?, and tell me you don’t hear some of the greatest elements of the afore mentioned bands. Great hooks. Catchy piano lines. Rhythmic riffs. Drum lines that make your head move. Vocals that draw you in. Rich lyrics. Inventive musical arrangements. And a tone and pulse that keeps you connected through out an entire listening. This is Get Back Loretta.

I write this with the greatest respect for the band.  A lot of musicians borrow sounds, and many more steal. But few pay their inspirations due respect and couple it with their own sense of style and authenticity. Every artist’s learns from and is inspired by somebody, by something. Artists are conduits for what’s come before. They reinvent and they recreate. What is so intriguing about Get Back Loretta, what draws so many people to their sound, what has won them three SDMA awards is their almost innate ability to create well-crafted songs that contain the best of what’s come before, draw upon it and then write songs that stand on their own, without falling victim to being a ‘sounds like’.

What makes them so great is that you can tell that they are avid music fans, true music geeks. They know what sound they want. They have obviously spent time working it out, looking into the past and present. Finding what works and doesn’t. Their latest release is a perfect example of how today’s artists can make mainstream music which leans against the greats then departs and pushes forward by leaps and bounds. Get Back Loretta,  we salute you for bringing indie-influenced pop-rock to our city. There is nothing pretentious about it. They have a timeless sound that will hopefully transcend and reach critical mass (their myspace already has a half-million views). Visit www.getbackloretta.com to get the new album and stream the old ones.

Kevin Farr