Never Felt Bitter

Description

Their debut album, Why Trains Crash was released in June of that year to rave reviews.
In 2023 they released their follow-up LP, A Company Sleeve, solidifying their reputation
with critics and fans alike for all- killer/ no- filler indie rock. Their third LP, Never Felt
Bitter, will be released on March 27, 2026.
The music on Never Felt Bitter– the quartet’s first release for Chicago- based Forge
Again Records–is the result of playing together on hundreds of nights in innumerable
bars and clubs across Southern California and beyond. Over the years the band has
honed a fearsome melding of pop melodicism and raw physicality. Their knack for
crafting catchy anthems for outsiders and underdogs has made them one of the most
respected underground bands in L.A.
The new album was born against a backdrop of constant upheaval in the band’s
hometown. From the election to the fires to the ICE raids, stability in Los Angeles and
beyond had never seemed less certain. “There’s a sense of urgency, fear and
confusion that comes across in these new songs,” says Johnson. “Like each song
might be the last song we write, or this might be the last album. If anything, it’s the
most present we’ve ever been.”
Though their music is laced with echoes of The Replacements, Teenage Fanclub and
Wilco, The Pretty Flowers aren’t nostalgists. Instead of chasing periods or trends, the
objective is to make music that stands outside of time.