With the release of their debut 2011 debut EP Dead End and their full-length debut effort The Sun As It Comes, the Los Angeles-based indie rock quintet The Lonely Wild received attention both on this site and across the blogosphere for rousingly anthemic, earnestly heartfelt songs with gorgeous boy-girl harmonies, and a sweeping, cinematic feel that nodded at the film scores of Morricone and others. Interestingly enough, while being beautiful and earnest, their material at times captures the sense of confusion, loss and despair that countless average Amricans felt after the financial collapse of 2008 — and the overall sense that the rug had been pulled out from under you without warning or consideration. And when they weren’t overtly political, they specialized in some of the most swooning Romantic songs — songs that nodded at early Bruce Springsteen and others, telling tales of lovers, desperate to run away from their small town lives and full of big dreams.

Now, it’s been some time since I’ve written about them but as it turns out the band has been working on new material, some of which they’ve submitted as part of NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Contest — and it includes the band’s latest single “Strangers’ Friends.” “Strangers’ Friends” will further cement the band’s growing reputation for crafting swooning and urgent songs featuring lush boy-girl harmonies; however, it may be one of the more bleak songs yet most beautiful song they’ve released to date while being a visceral portrayal of the lonely and strange life of a touring musician.