PHONY is the moniker of Los Angeles-based Neil Berthier, whose new album, AT SOME POINT YOU STOP, is set to be released on July 29 via his own PHONY INDUSTRIES label. “A lot of this record is about the idea of memory being fleeting, yet also being a defining pillar in all walks of life,” explains Berthier, who grapples with the loss of his father to dementia on this release. “I had the riff for this song for years. There’s an old guitar in my mom’s house that’s never in tune and I’ll just pick it up when I’m visiting to see what comes out. Somehow I always get something from it. It feels magic. This song was really how I tried to deal with my father’s passing as well as the other tumult the world was dealing with for the past few years.” You can catch Berthier on tour this August, supporting Joyce Manor on all dates, from Denver (August 3) to Phoenix (August 27).

Next up is “Perfect Timing” from McCall, the solo project of LA-based singer/songwriter McCall Kimball. Her sound is Maggie Rogers meets The Japanese House, or as she calls it “sad bops with spice,” and …to be a dream… is her debut LP, set to drop on July 15. “Perfect Timing” finds McCall accepting a relationship coming to its natural end as it transforms into an explosive, pop-filled sigh of relief. Though bittersweet, this conclusion is ultimately peaceful and joyous, allowing both people to leave as whole people rather than parts of themselves.

Moving away from the emotional bops and into something a bit more psychedelic is Los Angeles juggernauts Frankie and The Witch Fingers. If the groovy vibes of The Black Keys excite you, settle into this jam and pick up some tickets to see the band when they come to your town. “Cookin’” isn’t a new track—it was released last year with the b-side “Tracksuit”—but it’s the perfect reintroduction to the band’s heavy sound as they embark on a US tour that will run through early August. Check out dates and pick up tickets here.

Another Boom.Records offering—our last Mood featured labelmates DWLLRS—Los Angeles by way of Chicago multi-instrumentalist duo The DRs share their debut EP, Songs Before Therapy. Composed of two core members and professional musicians D. Phelps and Freaky Rob, The DRs, strive to provide the world with sonic healing and with their seven-track release they usher in a new era full of intent and emotional fortitude. Coining their modern-classic aesthetic and drawing inspiration from Earth, Wind & Fire, The GAP Band, Tame Impala, and Pink Floyd, The DRs music encapsulates healing while producing an array of sounds and continuing to carve a lane for young Black musicians. 

Last up is the latest single from LA beach rockers Dawes, whose “Comes In Waves” is the latest single off the band’s forthcoming studio album, Misadventures Of Doomscroller. “I had this riff and one of the verses for a while,” says Dawes frontman Taylor Goldsmith. “Griffin, Wylie and Mike Viola came over to my backyard—this was peak Covid—to just play music together for one of the first times since lockdown. I started sharing the song and Griffin and Mike started singing their background parts you hear on the choruses on the record immediately. It inspired me to finish writing it.” We’re a sucker at Golden State for any track that expounds a love for the ocean, so this one became an instant favorite. You can catch the band on a massive US tour—a handful of festival dates and shows with Phil Lesh & Friends plus supporting work for The Head and The Heart—all throughout August and a few shows in July and September. Check out dates and buy tickets here.

Want to add a little more California to your life? Jump over to Spotify and smash the follow button on our “Stay Golden” playlist. Every week we add new tracks by established and up-and-coming musicians from the Golden State. Enjoy!

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