Kevin Bronson on June 19th, 2023

0

Catching up with recent singles and their visuals from Sneakpeek, Cold War Kids, Trousdale and Gal Pal …

SNEAKPEEK, “Strawberry Reality”

Dora Hiller and Aric Bohn create a kaleidoscopic, welcoming universe on “Scene Within in a Dream,” their recently released album as Sneakpeek. It’s a far different place than their first album a decade ago — instead of dirty garage-rock, they’ve created music that nods to underground disco, with elastic synths and rubbery beats supporting Hiller’s placid vocals. They call “Strawberry Reality” “a psychedelic liquid lullaby inspired by Dora Hiller’s visual artwork, collaged from vintage magazines. See, especially: “Dreams That You Discarded”, “Game Face” and “Serendipity.”

COLD WAR KIDS, “Double Life”

“Double Life” is the first solo single from L.A. indie warriors Cold War Kids in two years. “Musically, the Pretenders’ ‘The Wait’s’ lively bounce, swing and edgy rock ’n’ roll riff influenced ‘Double Life,'” frontman Nathan Willett says. “We all lead dual lives to some extent: one that reflects our authentic selves and another that feels uncomfortable or out of place in our surroundings. As a parent the last few years my attention is always divided. And for myself and my friends, we are in this life phase where the masculine & feminine roles in relationships are blurring — and dads I see are so much more maternal than in the generation we were raised — which is wonderful and scary, but it’s OK.” Expect Cold War Kids to announce their 10th full-length soon; plus, they just announced a summer tour opening for Tears for Fears, including dates Aug. 1 at Palm Springs’ Acrisure Arena and Aug. 2 at the Hollywood Bowl. Joseph Wasilewski directed the video for the song.

TROUSDALE, “If You’re Hurting”

Folk-pop trio Trousdale draw something pretty in the video for “If You’re Hurting,” a song with great harmonies and an even greater purpose. “There is a light at the end of this tunnel,” they sing ever-so-sweetly, offering salve for life’s bumps and bruises. The song is the closing track on the latest EP from Quinn D’Andrea, Georgia Greene and Lauren Jones, “Make It Out Alive.” “Bad Blood” leads off the EP, and the trio will play Day 2 of Ohana Fest at Doheny State Beach on Sept. 30.

GAL PAL, “Pleasures”

“This and Other Gestures,” the first album from Gal Pal (Emelia Austin, Shayna Hahn and Nico Romero) in six years, arrived early this month. “This is a really profound album for us, kind of like a time capsule, holding moments of massive change and growth — both sonically as a band and personally for each of us,” they told Brooklyn Vegan, where the album premiered. “Topics of trans identity, grief, joy and hope emerge in many songs, compiled intentionally to create an immersive experience. We think of this album as what we have to give, our own sort of gesture for everyone.” Alex Leombruno directs the video for “Pleasures,” an immersive and intoxicating slab of mathgaze that finds these self-professed melancholies at their most optimistic: “Be all you are.” Fans of true sonic exploration should also see “Angel in the Flesh” (and the rest of the record). Gal Pal play Zebulon on July 10.