Mapache

Mapache, a group based in California and fronted by singers and guitarists Sam Blasucci and Clay Finch, merges precise vocal harmonies with folk-rock melodies that evoke the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their sound stays relaxed while projecting bright, upbeat moods, and it also conveys genuine emotional openness that heightens the impact and understated fervor of their live shows. When shaping their self-titled 2017 debut, the pair drew from Neil Young, Flying Burrito Brothers, and further icons of rock-rooted Americana. After signing with Yep Roc, they issued their next album, From Liberty Street, in 2020; the home-recorded project balanced dedication with a relaxed approach. Mapache kept up a steady output in subsequent years, delivering the expansive 18-song collection Roscoe's Dream in 2022 and the clever Swinging Stars the following year.

Blasucci and Finch both grew up in La Cañada Flintridge within Los Angeles County. They first connected as students at La Cañada High School; Blasucci had picked up guitar instruction from his father, a participant in the band Pacific Coast Highway, and was already performing with a group called the Roads when he encountered Finch. The two bonded over bluegrass, the Band, Neil Young, and the Grateful Dead, then started the Melvin Doo, a combo that performed regularly at nearby coffeehouses. The Melvin Doo disbanded in 2011 after Finch enrolled at Chico State and Blasucci joined a mission trip to Saltillo, Mexico. The friends kept corresponding, and once both had moved to Los Angeles they each joined the Grateful Dead tribute act Grateful Shred, with Blasucci additionally performing alongside Yam Clap. In January 2016 they launched Mapache; the Spanish term for raccoon became their name after the pair arrived at a gig following a day outdoors in goggles that left pale rings around their eyes.

The duo's arresting harmonies and unhurried melodies soon attracted listeners, leading to the March 2017 release of a five-song EP titled Live at Mollusk. Just seven months afterward, their first studio album, simply called Mapache, appeared on the independent Spiritual Pajamas label. Frequent touring helped their soft-focus harmonies and country-tinged material reach broader audiences. In 2018 they put out fresh material via the three-song 7-inch Lonesome LA Cowboy. The growing interest from these projects secured a contract with Yep Roc Records, which released the band's engaging second album, From Liberty Street, in March 2020.

The arrival of From Liberty Street proved poorly timed; shortly after the LP surfaced, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of nearly every American music venue and canceled Mapache's touring schedule for the year. With extra time available, Blasucci and Finch returned to recording and, assisted by producer Dan Horne—who also contributed instrumental parts and oversaw the sessions—completed the album 3, a set of dreamy acoustic covers of favored tracks spanning Stevie Wonder to the Allah-Las. In June 2022, as Mapache prepared to resume live dates, they issued their fourth album, Roscoe's Dream, partly inspired by Blasucci's dog of that name, a steadfast companion since the group's start. Mixing covers and originals, the record affirmed their affection for sunny 1970s soft rock, with performances and production showing the band at their most refined and heartfelt. Before their subsequent band release, Blasucci stepped away to record his debut solo effort, the piano-driven Off My Stars, which appeared in June 2023. Meanwhile Mapache settled into Panoramic House, the well-known live-in studio at Stinson Beach, to shape their next project. Featuring material that deliberately emphasized each songwriter's personal style, Swinging Stars also included an original song by longtime drummer Steve Didelot, who was formally welcomed as a band member. Swinging Stars came out in August 2023.