The latest offering from LA indie rockers Dear Boy is a barn burner.  "After All" (featuring Alithea Tuttle of Rocket) is out now and reunites the band with producer Aron Kobayashi Ritch (Momma, Been Stellar, Snail Mail). The single also serves to announce the arrival of their sophomore album, Celebrator, set for release on October 17th via Last Gang (pre-order it here).

With its swirling vocal harmonies, louder-than-life guitars, and Ben Grey’s distinctly clever yet emotional wordplay, "After All" captures what makes Dear Boy so beloved in Southern California, while pushing the band into new sonic directions. The sound is reminiscent of '90s BritPop and Alternative, but is also on the bleeding edge of modern rock and roll.  And for lead vocalist Ben Grey, the track is a long-overdue addition to their catalog: "It is crazy to have been a band for this long without contributing a primal-teenage-bedroom-rock riff. Happy to finally right a wrong."

The collaboration with fellow LA alternative band Rocket brings a layered vocal chemistry that elevates the track into dream-soaked territory. The partnership stems from a genuine friendship that runs deeper than music. "We first played with Rocket on New Year's Eve a few years ago and became fast friends. We're both from the Valley, went to the same pre-school, a tale as old as time," Grey explains. "But truly, they're an important band, and I think Alithea has one of the defining rock voices of this generation. We feel so honored she sang on After All. It's the Catherine Wheel/Throwing Muses moment we've always dreamed of."

The lyric-forward single is bittersweet in its captivating breakdowns and emotional hook, with the track moving through powerful dynamic variations and catchy melodies. The words, somehow both contemplative and untamed at the same time. “I feel everything / It’s better than nothing / I want coffee rings / On my future coffin.” With a stadium sized anthemic chorus and the song’s shoegaze-kissed textures, "After All" channels the moody pulse of '90s Britpop and fuzzed out Alternative through a modern LA indie lens—a perfect fit for fans of alt melancholia with a nostalgic edge. 

Dear Boy's latest offering underscores the band's decision to pivot toward organic production, and live takes for their second record. Both instrumentally sophisticated and sonically raw, "After All" evokes feelings of nostalgia yet maintains a unique sound and original message. Following the success of their 2022 debut Forever Sometimes, Dear Boy took a step back from perfectionist production practices and instead leaned into creative spontaneity. Written in only twelve sessions and recorded live in under two weeks, Celebrator is a feat in palpable energy and musical chemistry. Their sophomore effort promises to be "melodic, moving, and unpredictable"—an album that sounds like discovering "a completely new sound. Songs from another lifetime. Confetti in every measure."

A triumph in LA's underground music scene, Dear Boy was formed by lead vocalist Ben Grey and drummer Keith Cooper, while they were residing in London in their mid-twenties. Austin Hayman (lead guitar) and Lucy Lawrence (bass, vocals), joined once the band returned home, the four have set out to establish something thoughtfully informed and completely fresh. Despite the band's American roots, Dear Boy has always drawn deeply from the music of '80s and '90s Britpop and shoegaze, citing influences from Pulp and Oasis to Slowdive and Jesus and Mary Chain, while equally embracing American alternative titans like Pixies and R.E.M.

"We made this album to remember why we do this in the first place," says Dear Boy. "Because we love it. We adore each other. Joy. Connection. Heartbreak. Celebration. We're not interested in anything other than that."

Dear Boy has quietly become a key name in the rising alt-rock scene, and "After All" stands as their most confident, crossover-ready release to date—fitting perfectly alongside today's alt revivalists and classic alternative staples alike.

“After All (feat. Rocket)” STREAM | WATCH

"After All" is out today. Dear Boy's sophomore album, Celebrator, is slated for release on October 17th via Last Gang.