Dawes

Dawes is part of a new wave of west coast folk-rock acts who are young, sincere and sound like the vinyl your parents grooved to in the '70s. In fact, the band's breezy harmonies, heartfelt lyrics and California-country are most often compared to touchstones of the previous generation, such as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. At 24, lead singer-songwriter Taylor Goldsmith is the oldest member of the band; Goldsmith's brother, drummer Griffin, was a high schooler when Dawes started. Yet the quartet has had some amazing experiences in its short career — like participating in a luminous jam session that included the Black Crowes' Chris Robinson and Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The man who extended the invite, Jonathan Wilson, also produced Dawes' debut, North Hills. Although refined and wise beyond the band's years, the Americana anthems on the acoustic-based Hills still brim with youthful ambition.