Michael Vidal

As a member of the Los Angeles band Abe Vigoda, Michael Vidal presided over four albums' worth of colorful art pop. When the band split in the early 2010s, Vidal struck out on his own and adopted a new style. His debut album, Dream Center, saw him taking inspiration from the sophisticated U.K. pop of the '80s, with equal time given to the chiming guitar pieces of Durutti Column, the introspective soul-searching of Felt, and the smooth sounds of Prefab Sprout. Vidal's recording team included Ryan Beal on bass and Tabor Allen on drums. The tape caught the ear of the folks at Couple Skate Records and they reissued it in June of 2015 on all formats. ~ Tim Sendra