Kevin Bronson on August 3rd, 2018

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The Soft White Sixties’ new album “Alta California” is a two-for-one deal. Like the first single “Brick by Brick” (“Piedra a Piedra”), released in January, there will be English and Spanish versions. But it’s what the songs say that’s as important as its bilingualism.

Like the Soft White Sixties’ groove-heavy, hip-shaking psych ’n’ soul itself, the messages on “Alta California” — the band’s first full-length since they moved to L.A. from the Bay Area two years ago — are in your face. “Brick by Brick,” of course, is about a certain wall. The standard-of-living chasm (“Reaganomixxx”), gentrification (“I Still Love You, San Francisco”), prevalent me-first attitudes (“No. 1”) and the generational divide (the trippy lead track “Teen Wolves”) are topics on the table … and as dance-floor fodder, they aren’t bad, either.

The band — frontman Octavio Genera, along with Joey Bustos, Ryan Noble, Aaron Eisenberg and Rob Fidel — made the album with producer Elijah Thomson (currently the bassist for Father John Misty) at Van Nuys’ New Monkey Studio (Elliott Smith’s old digs). Says Eisenberg: “Eli was a big proponent of making the studio feel like 2 a.m. on a Saturday night at all hours of the day,” multi-instrumentalist Aaron Eisenberg explains. “Certain songs called for certain states of mind and sobriety generally didn’t factor into the equation.”

As for releasing the album in both English and Spanish, Genera is a first generation Mexican-American who grew up in a bilingual household. “Brick by Brick” was the first time he sang in Spanish. family – always wondered what it would be like to sing in Spanish, it just didn’t occur to him to try it professionally, and he wasn’t sure there was space for it within the band. “Speaking and singing in a language are two different things,” he says. “There was a feeling of joy and passion when I sang these songs in Spanish that I wasn’t expecting. And then hearing the songs back — it was right.”

The second single from the album is “The Overpass” (“El Último Bailando”), and, yes, it’s an ode to hedonism named for the legendary L.A. after-hours club. “It’s a place that feels like time stops and no one ever gets tired,” Genera says. “When you don’t want to go home, you find a place where no one else does either.”

“Alta California” is out Aug. 10.

||| Stream: “The Overpass” / “El Último Bailando”

||| Live: The Soft White Sixties celebrate their album release with a show Saturday, Aug. 11, at the Bootleg Theater, supported by Guards. Tickets.

||| Previously: “Brick by Brick” video, “Piedra a Piedra,” live at Buzz Bands LA’s “Dear Austin, Love L.A.” party, “Sorry to Say”