Wilco bassist John Stirratt knows a thing or two about lush, orchestral pop. His side project, which he leads with longtime pal Pat Sansone out of their New Orleans home base, isn't quite as ambitious as
Wilco's later albums, but the '60s-style pop here rarely takes the simple path. Drawing equal inspiration from
the Beach Boys and
Love (as well as dozens of groups that were inspired by the duo),
Autumn Defense infuses their debut album with gentle, fertile pop songs about long forgotten loves, endless summers, and electric moons. There's also a
Mermaid Avenue-like collaboration with the ghost of
Woody Guthrie: "Revolutionary Mind" is reworked into a modern folk tale. ~ Michael Gallucci