Weathers & Almost Monday

Weathers

Weathers cycle through vibes at the speed of life. Text messages to cheaters, actual conversations about mental health among friends, and a shared passion for eighties and nineties nostalgia (coming-of-age comedies, in particular) turn into fodder for their undeniable and unforgettable alternative anthems spiked with pop punk spirit. The acclaimed Los Angeles trio—Cameron Boyer [vocals, guitar], Cameron Olsen [guitar] and Brennen Bates [bass]—infuse their third full-length offering, Are We Having Fun? [Sumerian Records], with gleeful unpredictability.

“It’s meant to be unpredictable,” affirms Boyer. “Since there’s a cohesive sound, you’re essentially living in the same universe, but you’re listening to a bunch of different stories. We dug into how relationships and love can fuck with your head as much as anything else can. We welcomed the changes in our lives, because it was time to evolve—which is also when you should do a new record.”

The band initially emerged back in 2015. A year later, they served up the breakthrough single “Happy Pills,” amassing over 164 million Spotify streams and counting. They parlayed this momentum into Kids in the Night [2018] and Pillows & Therapy [2021]. The latter boasted fan favorites such as “Rehab,” “Losing Blood,” and “C’est la vie,” which reeled in over 27.9 million Spotify streams and counting. Meanwhile, Billboard proclaimed, “Their message empowers through the acceptance of something we all consider flaws at some point.” Of the album, Under The Radar noted, “The band married grungey alt rock and synth-laden pop rock, embracing newly anthemic sounds as well as revisiting their ‘90s influences,” while Beyond The Stage Magazine proclaimed, “Weathers’ Pills & Therapy is the best medicine.” 

Throughout 2022, they wrote and recorded what would become Are We Having Fun? with producer Jason Suwito [Sir Sly, Imagine Dragons]. They absorbed the ebbs and flows of the Post-Pandemic season in their music as they sonically nodded to classic bands like My Chemical Romance and The Killers.

“We were kids in the two-thousands, so we love over-the-top emotional tunes with a heavier sound,” Boyer goes on. “When we were making the record, we were feeling a bit of rage and sort of doomed. So we asked ourselves, ‘Is this even fun anymore? Or, are we doing this because we’re stuck?’ Since the music encompasses a lot of raw emotion, we decided to be very honest with the title.”

They initially teased the album with “Where Do I Sign?” Of the latter, The Honey Pop wrote, “Weathers aren’t shy when it comes to putting an edgy lyrical spin on things, and that’s one of the things we love about them.” On its heels, they share the single “ALL CAPS.” A snappy palm-muted riff sets the tone as the beat builds towards a confessional and catchy chorus culled directly from an exchange via SMS, “Asked me where I’m at, so I wrote back in ‘ALL CAPS’.”  

Boyer continues, “It’s about going through a relationship with an unfaithful person. Then, you endure this horrible betrayal, when you find out you’re being cheated on through an outside avenue. Your significant other can’t even give you the respect to personally tell you!”

The opener “One of a Kind” pins a jarring, yet infectious refrain to a hummable groove as he croons, “I’ll drive my car off a bridge, yeah I said it again.”

“It’s a very personal song,” admits the frontman. “It details those moments when you start to spiral, you can’t stop, and you lose control. It touches on suicide, depression, being overwhelmed, and struggling with your own self-worth. Everyone has experienced it in some capacity.”

A thick bass line twists and turns through a head-nodding rhythm on the danceable “She Hates Me.” He adds, “It’s about trying to figure yourself out. Then, you accidentally fall in love with someone and focus all of your energy into the relationship. Maybe you’re ready for it, or maybe you’re not.”

“Goodbye To My Friends” nods to the 2000’s with its glassy melody and sunny guitars. “It captures how nostalgia feels,” Boyer continues. “Most of the time, nostalgia is a positive sensation followed up with, ‘Oh man, those were the good old days. I was the happiest then’. You’re saying goodbye to the best feelings.”

Are We Having Fun? closes on “Little Castaway,” which beams out a bright final word. “It’s the palate cleanser,” adds Boyer. “We were having fun, and Olsen made some references from The Great Gastsby. Who doesn’t love the 20’s and flapper girls?”

In the end, there’s even more to love about Weathers.

“We want you to walk away feeling like you were heard, and it’s okay to not be okay,” Boyer leaves off. “At the same time, we’re trying to get out of the darkness, because no one wants to be in the dark for too long. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel. When you’re on the floor crying, you’re not the only one.”

“To us, Weathers is a lifestyle and a family,” Brennen concludes. “So, it’s important for the three of us to express ourselves, stick together, and support each other as well as everybody out there who supports us.”

Almost Monday

After countless garage jams, D.I.Y. gigs in the back of a surf shop, and innumerable hours writing together, almost monday emerged onto the scene in 2020, swiftly amassing over 300 million streams and uplifting audiences everywhere. Originally from San Diego, the trio—Dawson Daugherty (vocals), Cole Clisby (guitar) and Luke Fabry (bass)—crafted their 2020 debut EP don’t say you’re ordinary with producers Mark Needham (The Killers, Fleetwood Mac) and Simon Oscroft (The Naked and Famous, DREAMERS). The EP ignited a string of buzzing anthems, with notable standouts like “parking lot view” and “come on come on” commanding attention. But it was the lead single, “broken people,” and its invigorating Sofi Tukker remix that truly solidified their sun-kissed style, infusing it with a daring bass bounce and an empowering refrain that cracked the Top 20 on Alternative Radio.  

Their irresistible blend of danceable rhythms and uplifting hooks swiftly garnered a dedicated following, while their sophomore EP, “til the end of time,” released in 2021, set the stage for an exhilarating musical journey. The standout track, “live forever,” garnered praise from esteemed publications such as Alternative Press, Forbes, People, GQ Australia, Earmilk, Flaunt, and Ones To Watch. The band followed with single “cool enough,” made their festival debut at Lollapalooza, BottleRock, Firefly and shared stages with the likes of Kings of Leon, Dayglow, Walk The Moon, and Joywave.

almost  monday continued to accelerate their momentum in 2022 with  singles “sunburn” and “sun keeps on shining.” A North and South American tour alongside The Driver Era, a series of headline shows (including a sold-out performance at New York’s Mercury Lounge), and appearances at festivals such as Governor’s Ball, WonderBus, and Innings Festival. 

2023 saw no slowdown for the band, as they embarked on their own headline tour and reunited with The Driver Era for an epic summer show at the legendary Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.  The live streak continues with upcoming festival performances at Have A Nice Trip in Seoul, Korea, Wonderstruck, WonderBus and Life is Beautiful Festival in Las Vegas, NV.   Their latest single, “only wanna dance,” is out now and has infiltrated playlists and airwaves worldwide, even catching the attention of the legendary Elton John, who featured it on his iconic Rocket Hour.