Little Wings

Some musicians are more accurately understood by their ZIP codes than a list of like-minded peers. It's true of Kyle Field's quiet, five-year career as Little Wings. Though Field might be filed alongside Will Oldham or M. Ward, his tributes to the seaside slacking of his San Luis Obispo are better defined as the sounds you'd hear at a bonfire on the beach. His fifth release, Magic Wand, follows the same sandy footsteps as his earlier work; with the opener, "Everybody," Field earnestly confesses his localism: "I am the wave headed for sand/ I am the souvenir stand/ I am the hometown local band." Whether Field plays the flippant camp counselor ("Uncle Kyle Says") or reflective lover ("Sing Wide"), Magic Wand stands as his most poignant collection to date. As he guides us over the trails and rooftops of his town to the buoyant strum of acoustic guitars and mandolins, and even a bongo or two, being a tourist in San Luis Obispo never sounded so good.