Biography
California X, not to be mistaken for the longstanding punk outfit X from California, emerged in 2012 as a rock outfit based in Amherst, Massachusetts. Their approach draws from the denser, more abrasive edges of alternative rock during the 1980s and 1990s, yet retains melodic substance beneath a fierce, snarling guitar assault. The group began as a power trio consisting of vocalist and guitarist Lemmy Gurtowsky, bassist Dan Jones, and drummer Cole Lanier. Several months after assembling, they issued their first recording, the cassette-only EP Sucker/Mummy, initially pressed and distributed themselves before the British imprint The Sounds of Sweet Nothing later pressed it on vinyl. By 2013, the New York City punk imprint Don Giovanni Records entered into an agreement with the band and put out their self-titled debut full-length, granting greater scope to experiment with loud dynamics and song hooks. Ahead of their follow-up effort the lineup expanded with the addition of second guitarist Zack Brower, while producer and engineer Justin Pizzoferrato—whose credits encompass work alongside Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth, and the Pixies—was enlisted for the sessions. The resulting album, Nights in the Dark, appeared in January 2015.
Albums
Singles
