You’re wondering what you can call "the sound of the 2020s". The Paranoyds seem to have their finger on the pulse in their prog-rock, new New Wave, punk-tinged melange, which powers their energetic live shows. The band have taken their set on the run through the last few weeks; they’ll close out their whirlwind nationwide Global Warming Tour with a show at Alex’s Bar in Long Beach on February 16th. On this tour, the band have pledged to donate one dollar of every merch purchase to helping end the Australian brushfires. The show at Alex’s Bar will be your last chance to help the band help others, as well as for you to get some sweet merch from them in person for a while.

The Paranoyds put out their latest album Carnage Bargain last fall, and on it you can hear them dabble with sounds influenced by The B-52s, Blondie, and other proto-punk pioneers. Take a listen to the album below, and catch The Paranoyds when they come home on February 16th. – Will Sisskind

Forget the flowers, the candy, and the expensive gifts. Bring your date, your significant other, or yourself to Highland Park Bowl for a free show featuring LA’s top jangle poppers Massage. Massage play a smattering of shows every year, and this performance at Highland Park Bowl — free, by the way — makes for your first opportunity to see the band in 2020. Joining Massage are San Francisco’s Starry Eyed Cadet, as well as Dummy, an indie supergroup made up of members from Wildhoney and Expert Alterations. You may not find a cheaper or better V-Day event than this, so get your bowling arm and dancing legs ready and head to Highland Park Bowl on February 14th for a free night of fantastic music. Take a listen to the title track from Massage’s 2018 LP Oh Boy below. – Will Sisskind

If you recall the dust-up at the Atwater Bar last year, you may have written off the space — as well as the Griffin — as a place to catch live music in LA for good. But never fear, because the Moon Room has opened its doors on that site, and shoegaze alt-rockers Moaning will play a free show there on February 13th. The trio have a new album called Uneasy Laughter dropping in March, on which they’ll debut their more synth-friendly sound. While the usual doom-tinged drum & bass and abrasive guitars aren’t going anywhere, Moaning have brought a few new instruments into the mix to add a little texture to their tracks. It’ll make you laugh, it’ll make you dance, and it’ll make you want more. Take a look at the video for the album’s first track "Ego" below, and catch Moaning at the Moon Room on 2/13. – Will Sisskind

Fans of Thee Commons will find that the brother duo of David and Rene Pacheco have rebranded to become Tropa Magica, taking their psychedelic cumbia punk and infusing it with smoky, funky sounds. They’ll bring their act to La Santa for a performance on February 9th. The Pacheco brothers put out their debut record as Tropa Magica near the end of 2018, showcasing their affinity for music which blends world beats and pop together into infectious dance tracks. They’ll play several shows this spring up and down the West Coast to introduce old Thee Commons fans and new Tropa Magica fans to their tracks. Take a listen to the sultry "La Flor" below. – Will Sisskind

Grammy-nominated producer Eric Denniston, releasing music as ROBOTS&BALLOONS, put out his third single "I’ll Be Fine" this past week; it is the third single from his upcoming debut EP Stranded. With grungy tones and a persistent bassline, "I’ll Be Fine" explores themes of loneliness and isolation stemming from the ending of a romance. The song pushes, but it knows when to pull its punches, simulating the feelings of someone messing with your head. The emotion comes through in "I’ll Be Fine", and it further sets the stage for what’s to come on Stranded when it drops later this year. Take a listen to "I’ll Be Fine" below. – Will Sisskind

Kills Birds have a slate of shows coming up in the next few months, which means that more cities across these United States will have a chance to catch their wild live antics. They kick things off with a hometown gig at Gold Diggers on February 24th, and from there, they’ll take their act on a wild ride up and down the West Coast. Once they’ve done that, they’ll head down to Austin for SXSW, where they’ll entertain the masses who have heard of them through big names such as Reggie Watts and Kim Gordon. Should you have that Monday night available — or, even if you don’t — you should go throw yourself around the room to the fierce tracks that Kills Birds have to offer. The band released their debut album last year; for an idea of what you’ll experience from their stage show, take a listen to "Volcano" below. – Will Sisskind

Blame Baby have captured the essence of early 2000s emo, injected it into pop punk circa 2020, and released a catchy little offspring called "The Floor". This follow-up single to their debut "Headcase" further showcases the band’s ability to craft steady indie pop songs around serious subject matter. Guitarist and lead singer Jesse Johnson attacks privilege and greed from the viewpoint of someone who can see the misery inherent in incessant wanting, while bandmates Omar D. Brancato and Matt Tucci back him up on the rhythm and bass. The band’s first single of 2020 sets the stage for more to come this year; take a look at the lyric video for "The Floor" below. – Will Sisskind

You may neither root for the 49ers or the Chiefs, and that’s okay. Head down to the Moroccan Lounge while everyone else chokes down chicken wings and beer for a stacked indie bill with Slaughterhouse supporting Seattle’s Monsterwatch. The group put out a couple of new singles back in November, and have remained active throughout the winter hitting the stage. The Moroccan Lounge show is their first of the month, and the period of increased performing points towards more to come in the spring and summer from the punk quarter. Take a listen to Slaughterhouse’s cover of X’s "Nausea", their latest single, and run to the Moroccan Lounge on February 2nd to hear them play live. – Will Sisskind

Americana artist Pi Jacobs returns with her new album Two Truths and a Lie, which she’ll release at a show at Hotel Cafe on February 8th. Inspired by the theme to the show Justified, Jacobs’ new album blends percussive elements and hip-hop infused beats into her rootsy rock rhythms and melodies. Jacobs wrote Two Truths and a Lie as an homage to women who have fought injustice and oppression throughout history; however, in the writing process, she found some stories about herself had blended into the mix. The album drops everywhere on February 21st, but a music video for the track "Rearview" — a song about survival — is available for you to view now. – Will Sisskind

The funk-forward DIY crew Ginger Root are gearing up for a little tour in March, but on Saturday, February 1st, they’ll perform some music as part of the premiere of Hole Man at Junior High. If you’re unfamiliar with Ginger Root’s sound — which blends funk and indie elements along the lines of Toro Y Moi, Vulfpeck, and Jay Som — you’ll want to discover it at this show, as you can pay nothing to get in. This free show will also get you into the premiere of the new mini-series Hole Man, additional performances by RENDER BOY and Jesse Herb, and art and zines for sale from creators Tessa Lowe and Seannie Bryan. If anything, this event’s a great chance to support Junior High, a non-profit space dedicated to highlighting marginalized voices with radical empathy and anti-oppression activism. Get yourself familiar with Ginger Root’s music by watching the video for "B4", posted below. – Will Sisskind

L.A. Witch have a new album coming out this summer, but to conserve their energy for its release, they’re playing only two shows in the U.S. beforehand. The second of those two shows will happen at Alex’s Bar on January 31st. The trio of Ellie English, Sade Sanchez, and Irita Pai toured Europe a second time last year, but compared to their busy 2018, the past several months have seen L.A. Witch taking their time to brew up a plan to become indomitable in these first years of the new decade. If you wonder what L.A. Witch’s 2020 release has in store for you, take a listen to their 2018 EP Octubre, which blends psych rock, smoky blues, and punk into a stark and sultry collection of tracks. We’ve featured "Haunting" below. – Will Sisskind

If you haven’t made weekend plans yet, and would like to spend your Saturday evening screaming at the top of your lungs, head to The Factory downtown and check out Zig Zags‘ record release show. The band put out their LA to Pedro EP last month, but they’ll mark it with a performance on a bill with fellow acts The Side Eyes, Nice, and Urns & Argyles. The new EP is a split 7" with Mike Watt and The Secondmen, which includes Zig Zags’ take on The Minutemen’s "Political Nightmare" along with a new original called "Running Out Of Red". Get ready to spend your weekend with Zig Zags; take a listen to "Running Out Of Red" below. – Will Sisskind