Colorado can be a pretty chill place, so to speak, especially when good vibes, nature, and music are all involved. We have spectacular outdoor venues like The Mishawaka and Red Rocks, the giant peace & love gathering that is The Arise Festival, and of course, legal weed. If you had to pick one band to encapsulate the feel-good community boasted by The Centennial State, Luna Shade might just be it.
Luna Shade is currently finishing their new, 11-song album Flock Together (out November 28) and Bandwagon Magazine was fortunate enough to get an advance taste. The Fort Collins-based reggae quintet describe the album as having an overall focuses on community, love and the good people around them.
The stand-out track “Too Many Times,” features Ronnie Bowen of Audic Empire, taking us straight out of the Rocky Mountains to the beach. Kicking off with crashing waves and seagulls, the band gets into what they do best: their signature chill reggae with reverb infused organ, wah-drenched guitar, and lyrics about the ocean and smoking on a spliff.
The title track “Flock Together” exemplifies the band’s sense of community and love, with classic lyrics about flocking together like birds of a feather. The same reggae feel Luna Shade fans have come to expect is here, with echoey dub shouts and even a scat vocal section to boot.
What sets Luna Shade apart from many true modern reggae bands is their use of the Spanish language. In fact, the majority of the stand-out tracks on Flock Together feature a Spanish verse, bringing a whole new element of modern Colorado demographics to the chill, beach-y vibes.
As winter approaches in Colorado, we’re stoked to have Flock Together as a go-to when we need a break from the snow. When it drops this month, it’ll be a sunny day in reggae paradise.
Flock Together is due out November 28. Catch Luna Shade December 6 at Hodi’s HalfNote in Fort Collins with Kash’d Out. Nate Wilde is an on-air personality at 94.3 The X and 95 Rock in Grand Junction.
