Stream: New releases from L.A. Exes, Justus Proffit and Talk Time

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From left: Justus Proffit (photo by Camille Mariet), L.A. Exes (photo by Molly Adams) and Talk Time (photo by Puig Photography)

Check out new releases from Justus Proffit, L.A. Exes and Talk Time.

L.A. EXES, “Get Some”

Led by the singles “Baby Let’s Pretend,” “Temporary Goodbye” and “Skinny Dipping,” L.A. Exes’ debut album is pure retro escapism, perfect for ecstatic beach outings that get your mind off the wounds of horrible breakups. The chemistry of the quartet (Sam Barbera, Jenny Owen Youngs, Rachel White and Steph Barker), not to mention the members’ resumés in other bands, solo projects or behind the soundboard, shines. When it comes to pop smarts mixed with biting wit, L.A. Exes mark the spot.

JUSTUS PROFFIT, “Speedstar”

On the follow-up to 2019’s “L.A.’s Got Me Down,” lo-fi warrior Justus Proffit dials back the noise in favor of more intimate, confessional melodic indie-rock. Credit the COVID-inspired heart-to-heart he had with himself. “When the pandemic started, I quit music,” he says, “but I realized I needed to deconstruct my beliefs about music to get back into it, that’s what this record did for me.” From the gently jangling “Burning the Ground” to the open-hearted “River of All My Feelings” to the pretty mopery of “There Goes the Sun,” “SpeedStar” disentangles Proffit’s existential crisis with the power of his lyricism and (mostly) acoustic guitar.

TALK TIME, “Necessary Evil”

The follow-up to 2019’s “Year of Self,” “Necessary Evil” is the Math Bishop-produced second EP from Talk Time, the core duo of Edson Choi and Mike Nissen. “Dead Weight” opens the lush, ’80s-inspired six-song collection, with Choi’s spacious voice a dream-popper’s dream. “The Waters” might remind you some of Local Natives; the Caroline Kingsbury feature “U-Turn” injects a little neon into the the duo’s pastel, pastoral aesthetic; and the title track’s massive sweep lifts the listener above “Necessary Evil’s” implied melancholy to a more hopeful place. Talk Time celebrates the release at an NFT Art Show at a secret location on Sept. 10.