As someone who loves pop-punk and is secretly obsessed with '70s soft rock, I am part of the target audience for Vista Blue's latest single. I may, in fact, be the entire target audience. Both these songs are covers of AM gold standards. "Sister Golden Hair" was a chart-topper for America in 1975 (and is on my Mt. Rushmore of soft rock songs). "For All We Know" was a #3 smash for The Carpenters in 1971 and prior to that a Grammy-winning track on the Lovers and Other Strangers movie soundtrack. The band has gone very minimalist with the liner notes, so I have no idea what exactly inspired this project. But what's not to love here? These are classic silky-smooth pop songs treated in vintage Vista Blue style. Mark did a terrific job with the arrangements, and Mike adds his undeniable vocal charm. Those backing vocals are like butter! If you understand that all great pop-punk songs must fundamentally be great pop songs, you'll get why this single is such a treat. This being Vista Blue's first release in nearly six months might not seem like a big deal. But by this band's standards, it kind of is. Even with the punchier delivery, these songs exude a warm, autumnal breeze. This is definitely a single for me to listen to while I, clad in a light sweatshirt, saunter through the leaf-covered streets pondering a weekend full of pecan ale, ginger snap cookies, chili in the slow cooker, and college football on TV. A fall without new Vista Blue music would have been a nightmarish scenario worthy of a Rankin/Bass production, but now we no longer have to consider such a fate. And yes, they totally nailed the slide guitar part on "Sister Golden Hair"!
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