La Sera is the dreamy pop songwriting vehicle for Brooklyn bassist Katy Goodman -- of D.I.Y. punk band Vivian Girls -- who began penning solo songs in February 2009. Initial demos were sent to good friend filmmaker and music producer Brady Hall, who fell for the charming, ethereal vocals and '50s pop influences that Goodman exudes; he re-recorded material at his home studios in Seattle. After hearing the warm pop sounds that Hall had created from the acoustic guitar and tambourine demos sent, Goodman traveled to Seattle to record the vocals and mix the tracks. With a rotating lineup that featured friends Jenn Prince and Scott Shannon, La Sera embody the laid-back and open feel of the project and its ongoing members.
After completion of the sessions with Hall, the outfit signed to Hardly Art Records in 2010 and subsequently released the 7" "Never Come Around" in November 2010. The songs touch on an array of emotion, with heartbreak, love, and death all covered in each song with three minutes of dreamy guitar and reverb-washed harmonies. A second 7" was released in January 2011, "Devils Hearts Grow Gold," with a quaint B-side cover of "Dedicated to the One I Love," originally by the 5 Royales. The band's self-titled debut is a collection of beautifully constructed tunes which was released in 2011, with a softer feel than the Vivian Girls had, one where Goodman revels in her dreamy pop creations. A video was created by Hall in his home studio for the single "Never Come Around," which is as gruesome as the song is thick with winding vocals and sweet melodies. The album's intricate cover art was designed by Vivian Girls bandmate Cassie Ramone.
~ Scott Kerr, Rovi
