Perpetual Doom is proud to present the debut album from Evan Kertman: Rancho Shalom. Hailing from Los Angeles by way of Japan and West Virginia, Kertman offers sharp-tongued reflections on love and loss in the form of baroque country folk. Recorded alongside multi-instrumentalist Aaron M. Olson, who layers the tracks with harmonica, vibraphone, horns, and strings, Rancho Shalom is a necessity for fans of classic country and Silver Jews, Bob Lind, and Jerry Jeff Walker. 

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Where is it—the southwest, the northeast? What is it—a hacienda, a synagogue? Is it real or a dream? Either way, Evan Kertman invites you to kick your feet up at Rancho Shalom. “It could be you’re just getting old and getting mixed messages,” he sings. “It could be a one off your drunk friend once invented.” But for these ten tracks, it’s more than real. Floating on warm country arrangements reminiscent of classic country of the 60s and 70s, Kertman sings of heartbreak and hope, homecoming and leave-taking. The songs emerged somewhere between Los Angeles and the West Virginia mountains where he lived, and the lyrics tackle dislocation and transition with singular wit. “Hear that old train coming like it’s done so many times,” he sings on the slow building “Get It from the Desert, Get It from the Sky.” “Let it roll you over or hop your lame ass inside.” That may be a hard truth to take, and it isn’t the only one. On the mournful “Maybe I’m Losing It,” Olson’s slide guitar underlines the melancholy of Kertman’s sense that "the well done caught me leaning in too far.” And “The Same Song” finds a sad similarity between the fate of a wedding photographer and a certain Adam Sandler movie. But if these are glum thoughts, they are elevated by the warmth of their delivery—by Kertman’s gentle baritone and Olson’s entrancing musical breaks. 

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Rancho Shalom was recorded in Los Angeles by Kertman and Olson, with help from various talented musicians. Bienvenidos a shalom. 

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Press:​

• American Pancake​

• Add To Wantlist

• Monolith Cocktail

• San Antonio Review

 

Release Date: April 29, 2022

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Purchase from Official Store or Bandcamp