“I’m almost positive “Kickball Katy” Goodman is an innocent. For all the posing, quasi-ironic naivete that gets batted around amongst the female indie rock set today (Bethany Constantino of Best Coast is probably the brightest example), Goodman’s endearingly precious persona never seems feigned or detached. As a result, she’s always been a terrific foil for her Vivian Girls band mate Cassie Ramone, who’s unpolished singing voice, guitar work, and aggressively apathetic stage presence are perfectly complimented by Goodman’s cooing, fragile back up harmonies, nimble bass lines, and blissful dreamer aura.

Subtract Ramone from the equation and you get Goodman’s solo project La Sera which, as expected, resembles a gauzy Polaroid of a Vivian Girls’ record on the self-titled 2011 debut, sanding down any punkish, riotgrrl inflections and replacing them with waves of sparse, C86-inspired noise pop. The album was undeniably pretty (and Goodman was up to the task of being a lead vocalist) but still felt slight and ephemeral, clocking in at only 26 minutes. In the end, little room was left for Goodman to slide out of her comfort zone.” La Sera Sees the Light album review at Prefix.