Los Angeles, CA-based eclectic, melodic pop-rock duo The Blue Dolphins follow up this year's six-song Walking in the Sun EP with their sophomore full-length, Come On!, a fourteen track collection of California-sun soaked roots songs that travel the landscape of memorable melodies, intricate guitar solos, luscious vocal harmonies, and uplifting lyrics, all wrapped up in fantastic production.
Comprised of two-time Grammy Award winner engineer Alfonso Rodenas on guitar and Victoria Scott on lead vocals, the duo released the Walking in the Sun EP in May, a prelude to the forthcoming full-length; Walking in the Sun contains six songs Come On!. Prior releases include their debut full-length, 2012's My Favorite Word is Today and 2013’s In Between EP.
Come On! is a major push forward for The Blue Dolphins, reaching towards a more complex and fully produced music scenario, where sonic aesthetics and songwriting are richer and more varied, departing from the pared-down premises and acoustic songs that characterized My Favorite Word is Today. Come On! embraces folk, pop, and roots-rock with the duo’s characteristic optimism and charm.
Victoria Scott and Alfonso Rodenas fatefully met at the legendary rock pit The Cat Club on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles and soon started playing and recording together. Formed in 2010, The Blue Dolphins released their debut full-length and gigged constantly over the following two years in California and Western Europe - earning them a dedicated fan base in the U.S., U.K., and Spain.
At the time, Scott was managing U.K. artist Zoe Scott (her older sister) as well as the independent record label Zeus Records. Alfonso was working in the studio with Norteño super group Los Tigres Del Norte, for which he has won two Grammys, and with some of the best Americana bands in Los Angeles, including Old Californio and I See Hawks in LA - in addition to engineering works for famed cult producer Ben Vaughn.
Their debut, My Favorite Word is Today is a soulful blend of eclectic-pop-folk with hints of exotic sounds, such as Bossa Nova and many other genres. Simple and unfettered, Rodenas and Scott kept their focus on acoustic instruments, stripped down production, and emotionally honest vocals. Hailed by critics as “timeless, pure, intimate vocals and melodies showcased by a bravely stripped down production," Pamela Des Barres, author of I’m with the Band, noted that “the album’s sentiments touched my heart” and “Scott’s voice is just gorgeous."
They followed up My Favorite Word is Today with 2013's In Between EP, which further showcased their ability to write warm melodies and heartfelt lyrics with energetic, upbeat vocal harmonies that brought their songs and songwriting to new life. It shows the musical couple departing from its original acoustic sound into an unmapped new music landscape, full of emergent future possibilities. It is the prototype for what Walking In the Sun and Come On! would be based on.
Characterized by beautiful melodies, tight harmonies, and an uplifting, positive mood, Alfonso Rodenas and Victoria Scott cite West Coast/Laurel Canyon music revolution luminaries and 70s California/West Coast pop-rock as some of their most cherished musical influences that, together with their love for the classic British soul sound, embed their music with a unique luminous timeless quality that so clearly define their musical style and is so present in their latest EP, Walking In the Sun and the subsequent full-length, Come On!. With open hearts and a desire to connect with their audiences through their own experiences - in addition to their strong drive and eloquent production - they invoke the resounding spirit present in the music they admire most.
Scott grew up outside of London, England, fascinated by her father's collection of Elvis Presley, Fats Domino, Little Richard, and Rolling Stones records. After learning to play the recorder, piano, and guitar, Scott had also taught herself to sing by the age of 12, emulating the various styles of Carole King, Nina Simone, N'Dea Davenport. and Aretha Franklin.
Rodenas is a two-time Grammy-award winning sound engineer from Spain. His music career began as a bassist in the indie pop-rock band Vitamin Vil in Valencia, Spain, and has since spanned twenty-five years, the last twelve of which have seen him work as a freelance producer, recording, and mixing engineer in Los Angeles, California.
