The incorrigible trio known in adoring circles as Cheekface will open for NYC’s Patio on January 17th at The Hi Hat. Cheekface spent all of 2019 dropping catchy singles as well as their album Therapy Island, the latter of which they released that March. Now the band have kicked off the year with a song-a-day project, recording new work for future release, and announcing upcoming shows of their own. They’ll take to Chicago and Brooklyn in February to spread their music across the country’s other major cities. But for now, they’ll take the stage at The Hi Hat along with First Ever Boys, a band making their debut at this very show. Check it out, and take a listen to Cheekface’s "No Connection" before you do. – Will Sisskind

The Dales will take the stage at The Troubadour on Friday, January 17th to mark the release of their new EP Easy Times, a follow-up to their 2018 debut album Marie. Having introduced themselves as a folk rock tour-de-force near the end of last decade, The Dales enter the 2020s with a decided sense of optimism and a relaxed nature despite the constant goings-on so far this year. At just five tracks long, the positive vibe of Easy Times provides an uplifting thrist-quencher for anyone who finds themselves gasping for some serotonin these days. Easy Times drops on all streaming services on January 10th; you can stream the first single, the title track, below. – Will Sisskind

In 2018 — which seems like an eternity ago — Spanish Love Songs dropped their sophomore album Schmaltz, and proceeded to support the release with 30-plus weeks of rigorous touring. Now, in 2020, the band has taken inspiration from those long days and nights to form their upcoming third album, Brave Faces Everyone. The ten-track record contains more of the band’s outstanding loud indie punk songs that seek to instill hope in those living in a soul-crushing world; the new single "Kick" stands as a good example with the lyric "Keep your head up if you’re not okay/But not okay is what’s expected." And because Spanish Love Songs contain infinite energy, they’ll play the UK and Europe for three weeks this winter as openers for The Menzingers. Following that, they’ll tour with The Wonder Years, Free Throw, and Pool Kids through the US. Keep an eye out for tour dates, and check out the music video for "Kick" below. – Will Sisskind

Willow Stephens dropped her debut LP All That Glitters today, and will celebrate with a show at The Troubadour on January 9th as part of the venue’s Sound Collective Showcase. The Montana native has come up in the LA scene over the past few years, having released her first EP back in 2017 and changing from an acoustic sound to something more pop-oriented during her time down south. But despite her musical shift, Stephens has retained her strong talent for writing captivating words to deliver in her airy, angelic voice. Head to the Troubadour to hear it for yourself on 1/9 when Stephens performs alongside Miette Hope, Lucy Walsh, and Michelle Vezilj. Take a listen to the lead track from All That Glitters, titled "Gold", below. – Will Sisskind

LA scene staple Kate Clover finished recording her debut album Channel Zero last year, but instead of rest on her laurels, she’s chosen to hit the ground running in 2020 with a residency at the Bootleg Theater. The electricity of songs like her debut’s title track shoots out full force on stage, something that local scenesters know and curious punk and indie fans ought to learn more about. With a sound and look forged from the fires left lit by protopunk idols Debbie Harry and Iggy Pop, Clover’s sound rings in the new decade not just with a bang, but with a barrage. Clover plays the Bootleg on 1/6, 1/13, 1/20, and 1/27, with different acts joining her every night. Get yourself to one of her shows, and take a listen to the title track from Channel Zero below. – Will Sisskind

Because neither Roland Orzabal nor Curt Smith have decided to sue, Beers for Fears will traipse gleefully into 2020 with a show at The Hi Hat on Friday, January 3rd. Beers for Fears first took the stage in 2017, and in late 2018 released their first single "Bone Wizard (Part I: He’s A Bone Lizard)". While the band makes no bones about their sense of humor, they take their music seriously. Cinematic, melodic, and often experimental, Beers for Fears’ music makes for fun listening as well as a raucous live show. Catch them on stage at The Hi Hat previewing an upcoming album on 1/3, along with indie rock tribute act Black Crystal Wolf Kids. Take a listen to "Bone Wizard (Part I: He’s A Bone Lizard)" below. – Will Sisskind

On Twitter, rook&nomie advertise themselves as a "gay girl band from the cutest hell", but their ghostly coldwave suggests something more grim than cute. That’s not to say that their new album me&you isn’t a wonder of sound; the duo create webs of haunting melodies and spectre-like backbeats that provide gut punches of intensity even in their quieter moments. The album’s lyrics invoke images of cruelty — as well as love — towards oneself and between two people, creating scenes of darkness where little specks of light fight to shine through. On me&you, rook&nomie sing in search of that light. Take a look at the music video for "azure paler than the sky", a track from me&you, below. – Will Sisskind

On December 27th, see Post Life have a ball celebrating the release of their brand new EP Nothing/All Is Said, available on the legendary Shrimper Records. They’ll take the stage at the Hi Hat on a bill with Yaawn and Lunch Lady, both fellow LA indie acts who will come with the heaviest tunes they have to offer in order to properly close out the year and the decade. For Post Life, the show marks another step in a quest to become one of LA’s most intense acts, with a no-frills punk sound that can turn any room into a frenzy. See them do so at the Hi Hat on 12/27. For a preview, take a look at their video for "Brand Damage", a new single, below. – Will Sisskind

Ambient artist Ana Roxanne began her debut album ~~~ several years ago as a private project, a personal reflection on spirituality and art as an act of healing. Upon its rerelease in March by Leaving Records, the record took on another life, particularly as Roxanne had since explored more about identity and gender, having come out herself as intersex late last year. The record caught attention from a slew of new fans, which led Bandcamp to name it one of their top 10 records of 2019. Its blend of field recordings, droning synths, and minimalist percussion keeps the music simple while allowing the listener to open their mind in vast and unpredictable ways. Roxanne will head out east in January to introduce New York audiences to her music; take another listen to ~~~ for yourself below. – Will Sisskind

After the new year, head to the Satellite to hear Erin Anne bring her new album Tough Love to life on stage. The singer-songwriter released her debut album back in June, but it recently caught the attention of indie label Carpark Records, who released a special edition vinyl version last week. Existing at the intersection of indie punk and folk rock, and dealing with matters such as queer identity, gender politics, and moon phases, Tough Love makes for an electric debut from Erin Anne, as well as material for an exciting live show. Don’t miss it at the Satellite on January 14. Take a look at the music video for "Tough Love" below. – Will Sisskind

Hot off the release of their single "Set Me Up", Cold Violets will perform a show at the Troubadour on December 21st. The band put out "Set Me Up" and its B-side "Stay With Me" last week, providing fans with a one-two punch of new material. "Set Me Up" provides a taste of dark upbeat pop, while "Stay With Me" delivers a post-punk rumble rife with energy. The two songs make up Cold Violets’ first release since the 2018 EP The Silhouette; they preview potential new work from the group at the turn of the decade. Other bands and artists on the bill with Cold Violets on the 21st include Creating Monsters, Charlie Taylor, Kapali Long, and Alec Reid; head to the Troubadour on Saturday to see them all. Take a listen to "Set Me Up" below. – Will Sisskind

Indie shoegaze quartet draag announced today that their second EP, Clara Luz, will drop on February 21. The first single from that EP, "Ghost Leak", is already out, along with its music video. As on draag’s debut EP, 2018’s Nontoxic Process, "Ghost Leak" provides a patois of shoegaze trippiness that takes inspiration from Boards of Canada and My Bloody Valentine. Producing "Ghost Leak" and the rest of Clara Luz came with a glut of trauma for the band; the EP explores processing such trauma, dealing with the scary parts of it, and discovering how it can become empowering. Take a look at the video for "Ghost Leak" below, and discover the rest of Clara Luz for yourself when it comes out in February. – Will Sisskind