‘Love & Devotion’ is one of the best albums of the year, but are we sure it’s from this year? The third LP from Sam and Louise Sullivan sounds like a lost treasure that has been collecting dust for decades and is now being reissued by Light In The Attic. Drawing from retro psych-pop, country, traditional folk, funk, reggae, and a wide range of global sounds, the Sullivans ended up with a batch of songs so charming, catchy, and “wonky” (their word) that it simultaneously feels fresh and like it was recorded half a century ago. They’ve been at it since COVID — in a sense, they’ve been at it their whole lives — but a lot of people have been catching on lately. Last year’s ‘Sweet Enough’ caught the ear of Jeff Tweedy, who invited Sam and Louise to perform repeatedly throughout Wilco’s Solid Sound festival in June. Rising buzz around Emily Moales (aka Star Moles) and Kevin Basko (aka Rubber Band Gun), their friends and collaborators within Philly’s Historic New Jersey collective, has also brightened the duo’s newfound spotlight. All of a sudden, offers and invites are accumulating, like the chance to open three recent shows for Australia’s Babe Rainbow, a major upgrade from their usual gigs in basements and dive bars.  More such opportunities are in the queue. It’s just a matter of finding ways for Sam to step away from his day job teaching at a local Quaker school, where Louise also worked until recently. In the meantime, they’ve got another set of songs lined up to record at Moales and Basko’s basement studio starting next week. “The next one is gonna be a million times better,” Sam tells Stereogum. [📝: @chrisdeville, 📷: Betsey Carroll]

Sam and Louise Sullivan are enjoying a surge of interest in their music. But they were going to keep making charming, catchy, "wonky" albums like the new 'Love & Devotion' either way. Read our interview with the talented Philly-based siblings: stereogum.com/2507199/the-wo…