The Southern California–focused El Camino Real is the sibling release to 2013’s La Costa Perdida, which was steeped in Northern California flavors, and a good number of El Camino Real's songs came from Perdida recording sessions. With the delightfully dry delivery and ironic lyrics of David Lowery and the slightly off-kilter violin, mandolin, and sitar of Jonathan Segel feeling nearly as fresh as they did back in the early ‘80s, El Camino Real is something of a wonder. With old and new members on board at various times, there are plenty of guitars (see-sawing, mewling, steely, jangly) and sing-along choruses, foot-stomping party songs, and dark, Lowery-as-lost-soul moments; the many moods of Camper Van still throb and pulsate here with a kind of neon glow. Yet it’s a more ominous vibe than that of the Northern California lovefest. The strongest songs, like “Camp Pendleton” and “It Was Like That When We Got Here,” are instantly memorable treasures—nearly as strong as that skinhead tune you used to sing along to at the top your lungs—and make it pretty obvious these guys have a very special kind of chemistry. Hallelujah.