The Helltones, “When We’re Moving” – Bay Area garage rockers The Helltones have a breezy throwback surf-rock sound with touches of doo-wop and psychedelia. “When We’re Moving,” about going out dancing with your friends, has a ’70s R&B feel to it with organ, saxophone and wah-inflected guitar.
“Don’t Give Up on My Love” sounds downright Motown in its writing and execution, a vibe that’s tragically rare in modern music. So thank you to Mr. Chambers for keeping it alive. You’re performing a public service.
Sonja Midtune, “Haunt You Back” – Sonja Midtune blew up on TikTok recently with her song “Pretty Please,” but doesn’t consider herself a TikTok artist, as she’s been recording for eight years. One listen to “Haunt You Back,” a tune that’s mellow yet poppy, and you’ll understand right away why her catchy tunes get stuck in people’s heads. Midtune says her new EP, Golden Girl (out Nov. 11), is more upbeat than her previous “sad girl” music on 2020 EP Dreams Melt Away. She says Golden Girl will also have a limited edition candle available to complete the listening experience.
Late Cambrian, “It’s Always Something” – The creative and romantic partnership of Brooklyn indie pop duo John Wlaysewski and Olive Hu unleashed a monster power-pop banger about nostalgia: “Living in the ’90s twice/ Frente is my secret vice/ Everything still fits all right,” Hu sings.
Red Rum Club, “Vanilla” – Red Rum Club is an independent U.K. rock band with a trumpet player. It’s opened for The 1975 and Noel Gallagher, and played the Glastonbury and Isle of Wight festivals.
“Vanilla” has a bass line that sounds a little like the The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army,” but a much fuller musical sound, since the band is a sextet. The song is about a lover who leaves because she finds the narrator boring: “She said my darling, my dear/ I’m filled with a fear/ Concerning a flaw that/ Continues to appear/ You’re living for Monday/ Your living is mundane/ Your presence is a killer/ Your flavor: vanilla.”
LOS ANGELES — Coma Girls played at the Echoplex Sunday night as part of its Grand Ole Echo series, and also as an album release celebration for No Umbrella for Star Flower. It was their first show in three years, and frontman Chris Spino’s first show since getting sober.
If Spino felt any pressure in that regard, he didn’t show it. Dressed simply in a white shirt and white hat, he marveled at being on the Echoplex stage after his years as a bartender there.
“I used to work here,” he told the audience. “And now I’m getting to play here, this is really cool.”