With The Punches, courtesy.

This week we feature the nostalgic reflections of the Bay Area’s Mickelson, the skate-punk revival of The Venomous Pinks and With the Punches, and the inventive verses of Lyrics Born (also a local!), YXNG K.A and Ez Mil.

Lyrics Born featuring Sitcom Dad and Dan the Automator, “This Song’s Delicious” — Collaborating with Dan the Automator, the legendary San Francisco producer of classics like Deltron 3030 and Dr. Octagonecologyst, Lyrics Born delivers a braggadocios banquet over a smooth boom-bap beat. He and “Sitcom Dad” (that would be actor Randall Park, a long-time friend) deliver wild visuals highlighting their ass-kicking lyrical capabilities that would be right at home on a lyricist’s lounge compilation. Don’t forget to pay your respects to these celebrated MCs and tip the waitress. The song is from his new album, Mobile Homies Season 1, which he released on April 15.

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The Venomous Pinks, “Apothecary Ailment” — If you love the sound of plectrums sliding against guitar strings like a skateboarder sliding into the halfpipe as much as I do, then this track is for you. Arizona punk outfit The Venomous Pinks channels the energy of The Offspring circa Ixnay On The Hombre and Conspiracy Of One. The song tackles themes of grappling with addiction. It’s an empathetic anthem about the viscousness of the cycle between finding relief from pain and that same pain being exacerbated from sobriety and the problems that lead people to the bottle in the first place.

Mickelson, “Die Trying” — The contrast of reverberated guitar and piping organ always makes for a memorable rocking melody. San Francisco musician-producer Mickelson (Scott Mickelson) reflects on his journey, struggling to get to where he wanted to be. Mickelson’s determination to see his vision through is admirable, and we get a firsthand account of the road he walked, coming out on top on the other side. “Look me up on your cellular phone,” he tells listeners. The song is from his just-released new album, Known to Be Unknown.

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With The Punches, “Stoneham Blues” — This thrashing skate-punk melody immediately brought me back to my teenage years listening to Warped Tour bands. The song examines the fragility of life and how even in young adulthood, many people take for granted how life could end suddenly. It’s a deeply sobering thought to be faced with your mortality. Maybe, as a generation, we’re beyond “hating this town” and now we’re just terrified of our time to go, especially when we’re still young.

Ez Mil, “Dalawampu’t Dalawang Oo (2200)” —  The Filipino hip-hop scene has provided a number of unsung heroes and influences on West Coast hip-hop for years. Ez Mil shows off his aggressive rapid-fire flow over this gorgeous string-led instrumental that’s paired with clapping snares that just make you wanna jump. The Las Vegas artist switches between Tagalog and English, rapping about his hometown of Olongapo City, Philippines.

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YXNG K.A, “Not Perfect” — This Philadelphia rapper breaks the common mold of ego-driven rappers who act like they have everything on lock, owning, upfront, his own struggles with self-doubt. However, he reflects on how his dedication to his work ultimately paid off and gave himself a boost, because he learned to distance himself from the things he felt were holding him back. Plenty of rappers nowadays aren’t afraid to open up on mental health and their true feelings, but it’s refreshing to see someone so early in his career go mask-off about the glitz and the glam.

Tim’s pick: Maybe it’s because “Stoneham Blues” sounds like the exact kind of song I’d have listened to on repeat in high school that speaks to me. Maybe it’s the maturity of its subject matter in a genre often ridiculed for juvenility with artists groveling in teen angst as they approach their mid-30s. But the reflections on mortality, contrasted with the high-energy melody that makes me want to rock out to this song forever.

Follow editor Tim Hoffman at Twitter.com/hipsterp0tamus.