Courtesy Brenna Brock and Chris Holmes

The Rightovers

The Chris Holmes project the Rightovers has a new Kruise Kontrol EP coming out via Portland label Jigsaw Records on June 5. “Our last show was in December 2019 at the Soda Bar,” says Holmes. “We took some time off from playing live after that to record and mix the EP, which took longer than expected. The origin of the EP was a batch of new songs we came up with based around a new guitar tuning. They all had sort of an efficient, sunbaked ZZ Top vibe as played by My Bloody Valentine, built around dry, tight, punchy drums. The title song is the best expression of this, so it made sense to call the album Kruise Kontrol. Deciding on the title early on helped us in composing the lyrics, which are concerned with travel and movement. Specifically, finding autonomy and peace through repetitive motion. This lines up with the music itself, which is based around rhythm and groove.” Most of the EP was recorded pre-pandemic, with local producer Mike Kamoo. “All of the instruments and vocals were recorded at my house. I have a digital loadbox that allows me to record tube amps silently at any hour of the day without disturbing the neighbors, which is an essential tool for us.”

Temporex

Courtesy Victoria Ortega and Fancy PR

Joseph Flores, aka Temporex, wrote his 30 minute mini-album Care when he was 15, earning 700K monthly Spotify listeners and a tour last year with Mxmtoon (which was ultimately cancelled due to the Covid pandemic). The 21 year-old’s new single and video for “U Open Up A Window” is said to be partly inspired by Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, which is referenced in the video with a stand-in for Mr. Window himself. “My mom introduced me to the show when I was young and we would watch it together all the time. Pee-Wee [Paul Rubens] opened up a window to an entire world that you can escape to, without ever really showing the outside of the Playhouse itself. The wonky, googily style of the show has always spoken to me in a deep way. It combines the best pieces of every style and era all into one giant work of art, similar to what I’ve tried to accomplish both visually and musically within my new album, Bowling [due June 18]. Artistically, I don’t think any other TV show or movie has lived up to how visually captivating that show really was. There are a lot of things that many people have introduced me to that have stuck with me throughout my life, and there’s really no way to accurately express how much of an impact they’ve made on you by showing you something one day that they just thought was cool.”

Jessica Sanchez

Born and raised in Chula Vista, Filipino-Mexican American singer Jessica Sanchez started singing when she was two and lists Mariah Carey, Etta James, and Ray Charles among her musical influences. At age ten, she performed Aretha Franklin’s “Respect” on an episode of Showtime at the Apollo. A year later, she competed on the premiere season of America’s Got Talent, reaching the wild-card round before getting cut. Sanchez first earned widespread notice while appearing on the 2012 edition of American Idol, when she was 16 years old, becoming one of the final contestants. She later signed a major label deal with Interscope Records and recorded a debut album Me, You & the Music, and she even performed Marvin Gaye’s “All I Need To Get By” at the Democratic National Convention. Her mother’s homeland of the Philippines served as the filming location for “Jump In,” Sanchez’s danceable collaboration with apl.de.ap of the Black Eyed Peas. Sanchez has a new song and video for “Us” that features cameos by celebrities in support of unity for Asian Americans, including apl.de.ap again, as well as Mark Cuban, Ne-yo, Patrick Starrr, Liane V, and more.

Dave Keuning

The Killers guitarist Dave Keuning has a new 16-song sophomore solo album, A Mild Case of Everything, recorded at his home studio in San Diego. “I wrote and recorded this album throughout 2020, I am really proud of the music, and I think it is my best work. I felt more comfortable as a singer this time and also had a lot of fun with the guitar. I also took some chances on some short songs, long songs, and did whatever I felt like. ‘Don’t Poke the Bear’ is a nine-minute song I wrote in the middle of the night and just kept adding parts to it until five in the morning. I tried to have fun, but I also have moments lyrically I am proud of.” Keuning handled all the vocals and played all the instruments, other than drum tracks provided via email by Seth Luloff in Iowa. He’s been on leave from the Killers since 2017 after suffering exhaustion from their heavy touring schedule, and he didn’t appear on their 2020 album Imploding the Mirage. Three preview tracks are streaming online: “Bad Instincts,” “Ends of the Earth,” and “No One Is Calling You a Liar.”

Brown Mamba

soundcloud.com/akhil-penumudi

Akhil Penumudi, aka Brown Mamba, was born in Hyderabad, India, though his family quickly relocated to Singapore and then, by the time he was five years old, to San Diego. He attended USD, graduating with both a biochemistry degree and a nine-song sorority mixtape. His new album Mamba Legacy Deluxe debuted at number 19 on the iTunes top 100 list and at number 185 on top 200 overall all genres. Mixed and mastered by Darrick Ofenloch, owner of Driftwood Recording Studio in Pacific Beach, among the 24 songs are no less than eight which pay tribute to the late Kobe Bryant. A single and video can be found online for the track “Here to Stay.”