Indeed, the first things you'll notice about Sacco's debut self-titled album are the shimmering, breezy melodies and relaxed grooves that feel worlds away from the streets of New York. Thick, slinky bass lines snake underneath driving, infectious beats, as Breihan and Fredericks' washed-out vocals sweep across the spare arrangements. "We realized that the bass was really exciting and it was kind of a secret weapon for us,” says Breihan. “We tried to shape the rest of the songs with that in mind, and the big drumbeats were a part of that." It's a sound that's garnered them early love from key tastemakers like Daytrotter and Stereogum, who premiered their double-music-video for "Carnival Ghost" and "Driving," and a respected place amongst fellow NYC-via-California rockers like Delta Spirit, Guards, and Cults, who invited the band to play support on their last national tour.
The band’s self-titled album came together in a truly collaborative fashion, with Breihan and Fredericks splitting the songwriting, singing, and recording duties 50/50. Much of the album was recorded DIY in an apartment studio, but it took a trip to the beach to truly get them in the right mindset. "That was important," says Breihan of the Long Island beach house where they recorded portions of the album. It was a reminder of where they'd come from, what they were chasing with their songs. "We wanted to be in a place where you could just jump in the ocean."
The result is an utterly captivating collection of neo-psych indie rock, with stories of alcoholic preachers and homeless teens floating out above pulsating bass lines and fuzzed-out guitars. "They pin their words and moods on thoughts of liquor long since drunk, about bodies of water that hold so many scattered ashes and all sorts of secrets, churning there beneath the ice," writes Daytrotter. "The scene is so attractive and utterly heartbreaking." Therein lies the beauty of Sacco's music, a potent blend of the welcoming and worrisome, of the serene and melancholy. It's the sound of home.
