The Linda Lindas befriend loneliness on new pop-punk single “All In My Head,” inspired by the novel, My Year of Rest and Relaxation

Following an appearance on the Talking Heads cover album Stop Making Sense, playing The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, and opening for The Rolling Stones, four-piece punk outfit The Linda Lindas are just getting started. And with a resume that includes all the accolades above, this band is shooting for the moon.

Ahead of their upcoming sophomore album, No Obligation, out Oct. 11 via Epitaph, The Linda Lindas kicking into even higher gear with the release of a new single and video, “All In My Head.” Along with No Obligation, they will be joining Green Day, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Rancid on tour, including an LA date at SoFi Stadium on Sept. 14—their second time playing at SoFi Stadium this year—as well as multiple headlining dates.

“All In My Head” stands out in their catalog for how it swirls garage rock, power-pop, and punk music as if they were all made for each other. It also signals a change in their tried-and-true formula while offering a glimpse at the experimentation on No Obligation. Uniquely, the inspiration behind “All In My Head” came about while on their festival run last year, with guitarist Lucia de la Garza inspired by the protagonist of the novel, My Year of Rest and Relaxation.

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“I wrote ‘All In My Head,’ from the perspective of a book character, which kinda brought us out of our comfort zone,” said de la Garza. “It felt like a break from reality, which we don’t usually find ourselves writing about.”

The darker edge is immediately apparent from the start of the track, embracing a brooding grunge over the band’s riot-inducing punk sound. De la Garza takes on vocal duties, wrestling with the complicated relationship between them and isolation through brutally honest lyrics, repeating “It’s the loneliness” in varying contexts. However, despair is not the defining emotion of the song, with the line “I’m getting better / Cause that’s what I’m supposed to do” closing “All In My Head” on a positive note.

In keeping with the sinking feeling born out of loneliness, the James Wyatt-directed music video shows bassist Eloise Wong immersed in several books, including My Year of Rest and Relaxation. Over time, the immersion turns into a vortex in the bed, swallowing up Wong, who tries clawing out of the surreal predicament. Aside from the decision to shoot in a bedroom reflecting the track’s garage-rock energy, the DIY feel of the band playing in the room is a sight most likely accurate to how they started off.

Getting the opportunity to play alongside legendary bands like The Rolling Stones, Green Day, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Rancid, all within the same year, is an accomplishment on its own. However, the steady output of standout singles leading up to No Obligation, an album that’s shaping to be their most significant work so far, ties what’s been a banner year for The Linda Lindas.

Words: David Sosa

“All In My Head” by The Linda Lindas is out now on all streaming services. For more on their new album and tickets to tour dates, including an LA date at SoFi Stadium on Sept. 14 and a San Diego date at Petco Park on Sept. 28. Follow them on Instagram and their website for more news.

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The Linda Lindas Tour Dates:
$ = w/ Green Day, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Rancid
^ = w/ Green Day and Rancid only

07/27 – Asbury Park, NJ @ Asbury Lanes
07/28 – Richmond, VA @ The Camel
07/29 – Washington, DC @ Nationals Park $
07/31 – Buffalo, NY @ Electric City
08/01 – Toronto, ON @ Rogers Centre $
08/03 – Montreal, QC @ Osheaga Music Festival
08/05 – New York, NY @ Citi Field $
08/07 – Boston, MA @ Fenway Park $
08/09 – Philadelphia, PA @ Citizens Bank Park $
08/10 – Hershey, PA @ Hersheypark Stadium $
08/12 – Grand Rapids, MI @ The Pyramid Scheme
08/13 – Chicago, IL @ Wrigley Field $
08/15 – St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre ^
08/16 – Des Moines, IA @ Wooly’s

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08/17 – Minneapolis, MN @ Target Field $
08/20 – Kansas City, KS @ Azura Amphitheatre ^
08/22 – Cincinnati, OH @ Great American Ballpark $
08/24 – Milwaukee, WI @ American Family Field $
08/26 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion ^
08/27 – Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
08/28 – Atlanta, GA @ Truist Park $
08/30 – Nashville, TN @ Geodis Park $
08/31 – Columbus, OH @ Natalie’s Grandview
09/01 – Pittsburgh, PA @ PNC Park $
09/03 – Cincinnati, OH @ Beachland Ballroom & Tavern
09/04 – Detroit, MI @ Comerica Park $
09/07 – Denver, CO @ Coors Field $
09/10 – Austin, TX @ Germania Insurance Amphitheater ^
09/11 – Arlington, TX @ Globe Life Field $
09/14 – Los Angeles, CA @ SoFi Stadium $
09/18 – Phoenix, AZ @ Chase Field $
09/20 – San Francisco, CA @ Oracle Park $
09/21 – Berkeley, CA @ 924 Gilman
09/23 – Seattle, WA @ T-Mobile Park $
09/25 – Portland, OR @ Providence Park $
09/28 – San Diego, CA @ Petco Park $