The album kicks off with its title track, getting things off to a fantastic start. The drums get things rolling, setting a fairly fast pace. This song celebrating Los Angeles deals directly with the fires that destroyed entire communities, and especially hurt the music community. But this is a kick-ass punk number about the resiliency of the city. Here are the opening lines: "1/6 was bad, 1/7 was worse/A New Year's spark then scorched the earth/A dragon's breath blew across the west/So much heat, there was nothing left." And then Scott sings, "Santa Ana winds used to be my friend/A little bit of warmth after summer's end/But this time 'round it was just too much/Much too dry and too much brush." It's interesting, because in a way this song has us reliving the horror and fear of that time, while in a more important way it has us letting go of it. Because hey, we're still here. And besides, it is a fucking great song with an excellent bass line and a totally delicious rock and roll guitar part. And I'm sure it's a bit cathartic for Scott Phares, who lost his Malibu home in the fires. The song provides a valuable and exciting release for all of us in this extraordinary city. It's followed by "So Long And So Far Away," a song that looks back to those wonderful carefree days of youth when we thought, "This will last forever." The band then admits, "But that was so long/So long, so long and so far away." Sometimes it seems like yesterday, sometimes it seems like lifetimes ago. Weird how memory works, and doesn't work, and weird how music can make the deep past a part of the present. This track contains some really nice guitar work, including a catchy hook.
The main line of "I'm Not Broken" is "You can't fix me, 'cause I'm not broken," a line I imagine will resonate with, well, probably everyone. It's a line I bet people will sing. And check out these lines: "I'm not just some project of yours/Your mental medicine's supposed to cure/With side effects I must endure." I don't understand what makes a song a hit anymore, but if things made sense, this song would be a hit. It was written by Scott Phares and Michael Rummans. Then "The Bottom" comes on like one of those great rock songs of the 1970s, with a strong energy, prominent guitars, a driving beat, and some excellent vocal work. "Dreaming while awake, and waking while I dream/Everything's a blur, I just wanna scream." This is so damn good. I want this music to just take over.
"This Moment" begins in a mellower place, with some pretty work on guitar. This song features special guest Loren Molinare (of The Dogs) playing guitar. Adding to this track's special sound and vibe, Michael Rummans plays cello on this one. The cello arrangement is by Steve Bartek. "Say goodbye to empty dreams/Say hello to your life." It's a love song, a wedding song, written by Scott Phares. Then "Will The Lights Go On Again?" come on with a steady pounding pulse on the drums. There is a glam rock vibe, particularly to the vocal work. "Now, maybe we'll survive/Will the lights go on again?" And these lines are ones we can latch onto in these strange, dark times: "Who'll be in control/Just the brave and bold/It's the world's darkest hour/And we are the power." This song, particular its title line, also reminds me of driving through Altadena weeks after the fires when the traffic lights were still not functioning. It is a song of perseverance. It is followed by "27," which is a song of survival too, and of those who didn't make it past that peculiar age of death, 27. This song refers to Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin. But its main line is "I surived 27," delivered like an anthem, with a wild and powerful sort of joy.
"Bright Lights" is a song about revisiting a favorite bar, and how the lights there are welcoming. "Everyone I know may be out of town/But the faces here still seem familiar." And you know it feels good when a bartender recognizes you and knows just what you want. The only place I have like that these days is Maui Sugar Mill Saloon, one of my favorite places to see a band. The music of this song itself has that welcoming vibe. "The music blasts from a tiny stage/Everybody in the band is half my age/Playing songs that all of us know/That fill my head with a pleasant glow." Then "When I Find You" has a darker, more somber vibe from the start. It's a slower, thoughtful number. "What am I gonna do, what am I gonna do?/When I, when I find you, when I find you." It contains some interesting guitar work, moving toward a psychedelic realm at certain moments. This one was written by Terry Rae and Robert Blessus. The album then concludes with "King Of The Night Time World," which, as I mentioned, was a song recorded for what should have been the band's first record. It was also recorded by Kiss, but don't let that fact keep you from listening to this song. The song rocks just the way you want it to, with that 1970s rock sound, and features some excellent guitar work. "It's so mad pretending you're content far from the music and the gorgeous clothes."
CD Track List
- Hey! L.A.!
- So Long And So Far Away
- I'm Not Broken
- The Bottom
- This Moment
- Will The Lights Go On Again?
- 27
- Bright Lights
- When I Find You
- King Of The Night Time World
Hey! L.A.! was released on July 24, 2026.
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