Santa Barbara’s Gardens & Villa have only one EP available at the moment, but we’re convinced they’ve got an entire backlog of buried albums somewhere. The four track collection plays like an anticipated follow up to two previously successful full-lengths; delivering on the media-driven hype of a band that’s been around a while. Instead, we’re left with the reality that, yeah, this is the quintet’s first official release. Each track has a refined confidence akin to a band knowing exactly how they want to sound on record; from the new wave sounds of opener “Black Hills” to the Talking Heads-ish bass line and melodic flutes in “Orange Blossom.”

The band’s been on the road much of the spring honing their live sound too, including festival appearances at Sasquatch!, High Sierra, and Minnesota’s Rivers Edge, while also maintaining one of the better Instagram accounts out there. They’ve produced four music videos over the past year as well, a couple of which you can watch below for the aforementioned tunes “Black Hills” and “Orange Blossom.”

For members Chris Lynch, Adam Rasmussen, Levi Hayden, Shane McKillop, and Dusty Ineman, there’s clearly a special sauce at work – a formula of which we’re psyched to see live this Saturday, 7/21/12 at Phono del Sol. Get your tickets now!