David M Rangel / August 14, 2025 / Reviews
James Bookert, professionally known as San Gabriel, has an obvious talent for blending the musical styles of multiple decades. The nostalgia-pop he creates with his latest output, “Nights and Weekends” harkens back to synth-pop sounds of the ‘80s, while making them fresh with present-day production style and dreamy, shoegazey, reverb-drenched guitars.
In the ‘80s, almost any band who could program a synthesizer could rise to prominence for at least an album or two. But for every Depeche Mode, Erasure and Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark, there are 50 more that have aged from not-so-gracefully to downright miserably.
Bookert has taken the better musical elements of that pastel decade and created a well-crafted mix of whimsical meets melancholy. It’s as if the “cheesy” awkwardness of much of ‘80s New Wave has found a new, modern maturity. With an understated, nonchalant vocal, Bookert takes the listener on vivid journeys by way of lyrics that seem more like individual phrases than stanzas.
“Nights and Weekends” has its origins in an East Austin, Texas liquor store. It was there that Bookert used his time before, during, and after his work hours to develop what would become this first solo outing. At the time, Bookert’s band, Whiskey Shivers, had just finished playing a significant part in the soundtrack for the movie Pitch Perfect 3 (with Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson). Wanting to play a more prominent role in the creative process, Bookert began writing songs which would eventually become Nights and Weekends, serving as writer, musician, producer, and engineer. At first listen, it is easy to see why San Gabriel has been the recipient of three Austin Area Music Awards, among other accolades, including Hyundai’s “Your Journey, Your Track” contest.
When delving into this colorful tableau for the ears, one may notice that there are more than a few songs that have “single“ potential. “Tape Machine” breezily start things off with a swirling concoction of airy keys and one line statements that seem to effortlessly float off into the ether.
“Running Out Of Time” juxtaposes a slight bit of sadness, guided by ever-brightly shining keys that are the theme running through most of the record. The song is complimented by a vocal that is vaguely reminiscent of both Bernard Sumner in the early years of New Order, and the late Ed Ackerson of Minneapolis-based bands Polara and BNLX.
When a current artist attempts to create the sounds of a bygone decade, there can be a fine line between sounding like a weak present-day imitation, and tastefully, capturing the essence of that era within a modern context. San Gabriel have clearly achieved the latter. It’s almost as if the feat can only be accomplished by instinct and can’t be taught. You either get it or you don’t. Bookert has that instinct and clearly understands how to bring it to life in a musical form, which is sure to have wide appeal.
“Take Me / Leave Me” shows Bookert to be a quite capable Chet Baker-style crooner. The guitar drone and sweetly chiming bells provide a relaxing slow-down from the more soaring aspects of the rest of the album. It also reveals the depth of Bookert’s vocal abilities and strength in creating different tones within a group of songs that all work well, as one.
“Going Nowhere” revs up the tempo of the album. It is, arguably, the song that could be most likely to have success on FM radio. it has that certain something that would make it suitable for the closing credits in Hollywood movies of all styles. It is a tune you can practically hear being played on a long road trip, top down, out in the wide-open air.
“Nights and Weekends” is a fresh breath of new air. While its overall style is one that has been done many times before, the approach which San Gabriel / James Bookert takes is what creates a new, hybrid musical sound, if that can even be achieved in 2025. The musical kaleidoscope with its air of otherworldliness is a great introduction to Bookert as a solo artist and will likely leave the listener looking forward to his future solo endeavors.
The album is out everywhere tomorrow on Share It Music. Listen to the pre-released tracks here.
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