Formed by buddies Lenny Gurtowsky and Dan Jones upon their relocation to Amherst, MA, California X quickly won over fans and a reputation for scuzzy power chord-based rock that’s reminiscent of 90s grunge; in fact, much like contemporaries Dead Stars, California X’s sound owes a great debt to the likes of Dinosaur, Jr., Mudhoney and others. In other words their sound manages to have a rather melodic sensibility and an earnest heart at its center. 

The band’s anticipated sophomore effort, Nights in the Dark is slated for a January 13 release through Don Giovanni Records will likely cement the band’s reputation for a sound that draws from the grunge era – an era that’s absolutely beloved among most contemporary indie rockers, as you’ll hear on the album’s latest single, album tile track, “Nights in the Dark.” But pay attention to the song’s lyrics as it ties together an overarching conceptual theme to the whole album – the contrast between light and dark, contentment and longing; in fact, an aching longing is conveyed in the song in a way that would likely be scoffed at by the cynical and jaded.