almost monday

Hooks seem to come naturally to San Diego trio almost monday, but plenty of work goes into the indelible yet effortless-sounding melodies on tracks like “can’t slow down.” That includes getting things just right in the studio. “If there’s something special there, it’s definitely worth going all the way,” bassist and keyboardist Luke Fabry told Apple Music in 2024. “Even if it’s just redo[ing] the vocals to get something special.” Such close attention to detail rings out in the band’s bright, snappy indie pop. After forming in 2015 and releasing a series of EPs, almost monday stocked their 2024 debut album DIVE with tunes foregrounding guitarist Dawson Daugherty’s affable vocals and an overall beachy vibe. The latter is fitting for an act that came about thanks to surfing: Daugherty first met lead guitarist Cole Clisby out in the waves, and the ongoing influence of water is evident in the likes of “tidal wave” and “skinny dip.”