Dustin Douglas & the Electric Gentlemen, courtesy.

This week, Spacey Jane welcomes us to summer; Dustin Douglas & the Electric Gentlemen, Dropsonic and Gasoline Lollipops bring the rock, Mobley gives us some throwback soul and Activity shows us the art of a really good bass line.

Spacey Jane, “Through My Teeth” — A couple of us thought we’d featured Spacey Jane in Tuesday Tracks a lot more recently than we did, but the band’s last appearance was way back in 2021. That column’s writer, Aarushi Nanda, specifically pointed out that the guitar riffs sound like summer, and that remains true, which is probably why it struck me so much in the first truly warm week of the year in the East Bay. I love a good warm weather song.

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Activity, “In Another Way” — This one is also, in a way, a warm weather song. The bass line in has the feel of a walk down a deserted street at night in a big city on a warm night, lit by yellow street lights, with nowhere in particular to go. Is that oddly specific? Yes. But it’s true! Listen to the song by this band—with members of Russian Baths, Grooms and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart—with your eyes closed, and tell me you don’t see the street I’m talking about.

Dropsonic, “So Long” — Is it just me, or are distorted guitars becoming a lost art? They’re still in metal of course, but new bands tend to have a cleaner sound, which, while fine, makes me miss the grunginess. That just makes it more of a treat when a band like Atlanta’s Dropsonic comes back after 15 years away to remind us of the old ways. Then it reminds us of the even older ways once the synth kicks in at around the three-minute mark…

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Mobley, “Yesterday’s Another Day” — Speaking of the old ways, do you like soul music from the late ’70s or early ’80s? Don’t bother answering because of course you do. Everyone does. Well, great news! Mobley (also making a second Tuesday Tracks appearance) is making that music right now. This song is that music! You definitely didn’t realize how much you missed it before hearing “Yesterday’s Another Day,” but now you do, and you’re welcome.

Gasoline Lollipops, “Humanity” — It’s not great form to directly reference the provided press release, but the one for this song mentions alt-country, punk, rock and blues, and I wasn’t sure how that works. Then I listened to the song, and I’ll admit when I’m wrong. “Humanity” is definitely bluesy, punk-inspired alt-country rock. It couldn’t possibly be easy to seamlessly blend those influences, but I can absolutely dig it.

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Dustin Douglas & the Electric Gentlemen, “Dangerous Game” — Stay with me for a second: Imagine if AC/DC did a power ballad. They don’t, and I respect them for that, but picture how they’d try to slow down a little. This is how I imagine that. It’s not a ballad in any way; it’s an uptempo rock song, but despite the lack of the same frenetic, chaotic energy, it reminds me of AC/DC. I love it so very much.

Danny’s pick: Despite a strong push by Mobley, I’m going with Dustin Douglas and friends. It’s hard for me to not pick a fun hard rock song, and Douglas gave me a very fun hard rock song. Someday, the economy will reset itself to the point that “starving artist” goes back to being figurative, and we’ll get a bunch of fun rock bands again. But until then, treasure songs like this when we get them.

Follow publisher Daniel J. Willis at @bayareadata.press on BlueSky.