Maybe I’m just nostalgic, but a classic A-side / B-side single warms the cockles of my frozen Midwestern heart. Oxnard’s Late Bloomers have released dozens of songs since forming in 2016, rarely retreading the same ground, and their latest batch of breezy melodies comes with the digital 7” of “It’s Not Enough” b/w “I’ll Meet You There.” The quartet can’t stop digging up catchy pop nuggets, so there might as well be two songs instead of one. If a pair of full-lengths, several EPs, and a burbling creek of new singles wasn’t enough, Late Bloomers is here to assuage your uncertainties.
The twin-flame influences of twee and R&B, as cited by the band, are fanned from both sides on the new singles. “It’s Not Enough” glides by on chiming guitar strums and effortless charm. Flutes and an air of 60s classics deepen their sweet take on jangly indie rock. From the opening chord, “I’ll Meet You There” sets a hazier, smoother scene. Emilio Morones’ vocals are stacked high, unwavering, inviting you inside. A rotating cast of collaborators hasn’t hampered the band’s proficiency in the immediate present — the core lineup of Morones, Alex Gonzalez, and Eddie Madec has been locked in for the past several years, writing and producing everything in-house. The new singles are excellent and encourage a journey through the extended Late Bloomers discography.
“It’s Not Enough” and “I’ll Meet You There” are available now; the former also appears on Pleasant Valley Records’ latest compilation, Neighborhood Watch Vol. 2.
Written by Aly Eleanor
