Golden State hosted its first Library Sessions in March of 2017. The intimate performance, held in the library of our El Segundo headquarters, featured husband and wife duo Jim and Sam. It was a small crowd—mostly staffers and a few close friends—but the vibe was right and we knew we were onto something. Between that first show and a special holiday episode, featuring The Voice winner Alisan Porter, in December of 2019, 11 Library Sessions were held at the office. We all know what happened next.
For the last two-and-a-half years, we’ve been itching to get a band back to Golden State HQ and reignite the magic that seems to emerge each time we hold one of these concerts. On May 11, Los Angeles band Calling Cadence plugged in, tuned up, and blessed the office with a handful of songs from their self-titled debut album, heralding the return of Library Sessions with a perfect mix of California-inspired melodies, divine harmonies, and of course, good vibes.
“I grew up listening to a lot of Laurel Canyon music,” says singer and guitarist Oscar Bugarin, “and K-EARTH 101 was the radio station my family listened to. Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young were big heroes of mine, which is one of the main inspirations for Calling Cadence. I wanted to start something that was an ode to the Eagles and CSNY.”
“Me as well,” echoes singer Rae Cole. “We both grew up listening to a lot of ’90s and 2000’s rock like Red Hot Chili Peppers and Sublime and a lot of things that referenced California vibes.”
In addition to performances of “Just The Way It Goes,” “Wasn’t It Good,” and “California Bartender,” the band sat for a short interview, illuminating the story of how Rae and Oscar first began playing together, the ways in which their songs are informed by the Golden State, their motivation for recording Calling Cadence in a purely analog environment, and the books and records that continue to inspire them.
You can watch their entire 3-song Library Sessions appearance below, and listen to the new record on your favorite streaming service here. We also highly recommend checking out Oscar, Rae and the band when they come to your town. While many rock outfits hang their hat on a rugged and raw, “fix it in post” mentality, Calling Cadence are immaculate performers; a breezy, beautiful force of nature to behold live. Stay tuned for tour dates on the official Calling Cadence website.
