La Sera

La Sera originated as Katy Goodman's platform for writing dreamy pop material while she served as bassist in the noise pop band Vivian Girls, later pivoting from punk toward alt-country as the project matured. She began composing solo material in February 2009, forwarding early demos to longtime friend Brady Hall, a filmmaker and music producer who became enamored with Goodman's charming, ethereal vocals and '50s pop influences; he laid down fresh versions at his Seattle home studios. Upon encountering the warm pop textures Hall had fashioned from the acoustic guitar and tambourine sketches, Goodman journeyed to Seattle to record vocals and finalize the mixes. A fluid roster that includes associates Jenn Prince and Scott Shannon captures the project's relaxed, welcoming atmosphere and its continuing participants.

Once sessions with Hall wrapped, the group signed with Hardly Art Records in 2010 and issued the 7" "Never Come Around" that November. Each track explored a range of feelings—heartbreak, love, and death—delivered across three minutes of dreamy guitar and reverb-washed harmonies. A follow-up 7", "Devils Hearts Grow Gold," appeared in January 2011, its B-side a quaint cover of "Dedicated to the One I Love" originally recorded by the "5" Royales. The self-titled debut arrived in 2011, presenting meticulously shaped songs with a softer character than Vivian Girls work and letting Goodman luxuriate in her dreamy pop creations. Hall produced a video for the single "Never Come Around" inside his home studio, its imagery as gruesome as the track is dense with winding vocals and sweet melodies. Vivian Girls bandmate Cassie Ramone designed the album's detailed cover art.

Goodman recruited Rob Barbato of Darker My Love to play guitar and produce the second La Sera album, with Dan Allaire of the Brian Jonestown Massacre on drums and herself on bass; Tim Presley of White Fence and Darker My Love along with Tony Bevilaqua of Spinnerette contributed as well. Hardly Art released Sees the Light in spring 2012. Vivian Girls disbanded in early 2014, freeing Goodman to focus entirely on La Sera. L.A. musician Todd Wisenbaker produced the third album, also supplying lead guitar, while Daniel Gomez handled rhythm guitar and Michael Gleeson played drums. Hardly Art put out the Pretenders- and punk-influenced Hour of the Dawn in 2014. A move to Polyvinyl and the marriage of Goodman and Wisenbaker brought new developments for the band. Teaming with producer Ryan Adams for the next release, 2016's Music for Listening to Music To, the duo embraced an alt-country-influenced sound, Wisenbaker co-writing every song and singing lead on several.