Video Age - Away From the Castle (IEX "Queen's Tassle" Pink Vinyl)

Video Age make breezy and timeless songs that are so ineffable, they can only be the result of a decades-long friendship and songwriting partnership. Across four albums, Ross Farbe and Ray Micarelli have gleefully worn their influences on their sleeve, writing inviting tunes that reference sounds ranging from disco to pop and indie rock. But on their latest LP, Away From the Castle, the New Orleans duo have strayed away from nostalgia, instead making organic songs that sound like themselves. It's their best collection of tracks to date and a reflection of Farbe and Micarelli's sturdy bond, pulling from the songbooks of classic singer-songwriters that inspired them in their early days.The album is a testament to the possibilities that come from getting out of your comfort zone, the freedom of writing vulnerably and unselfconsciously, and the joys of getting to work with your closest companions.