“Patience hasn’t done much and I don’t believe in good luck,” sings Samuelito Cruz, aka TONER, on “High & Dry.” Cruz plays in Bay Area bands Happy Diving and Never Young, but with his solo project, he’s turned down the volume and turned up the gloomy charm. Melancholic reflections abound on the song, which balances a light sound with heavy subject matter. The picture Cruz paints is clear and relatable, but his mood is foggy and wistfully grim. “All I hear is your name when I lay my head down to sleep,” he admits. “I know you’re sitting at home while I’m stoned and alone as I’m heading back to sleep.” It’s a somber, painstakingly cool breakup jam. “High & Dry” is from TONER’s self-titled debut, set to be released this spring via Don’t Live Like Me Records/ Floorplan Records/ Suspended Soul/ Brothers Absurd Records.
