Pleasure Pill releases ALIVE EP, combining Britpop influences with youthful energy and introspection in a confident four-track indie rock statement.
San Diego indie rock band Pleasure Pill have released their new EP ALIVE. It is a four-track project that balances raw immediacy with melodic ambition, now out via Quiet Panic. The release arrives amid growing attention for the band, with early praise from news outlets highlighting their Britpop-leaning sound and energetic songwriting.
Opening with ambient studio chatter, ALIVE quickly settles into “If You Believe in Me,” a straightforward track that foregrounds frontman Jonah Paz’s songwriting. The song establishes the EP’s tone before transitioning into “Feel Alive,” a groove-driven track that captures youthful spontaneity. Paz describes it as a celebration of “being young and having a lust for life”. It is a sentiment that carries through the record’s overall mood.
“Is It Me” introduces a more introspective layer, channeling restlessness and self-reflection with noticeable influence from The Brian Jonestown Massacre. The EP closes with “Stand Still,” a stripped-back track that highlights the band’s ability to scale down without losing emotional weight. According to Paz, the challenge lies in making acoustic arrangements feel just as expansive as their electric counterparts, a balance the band manages to achieve.
Formed in 2021 by Jonah and Ethan Paz alongside collaborators from San Diego’s underground scene, Pleasure Pill have steadily built momentum through releases like Heaven Can Wait and singles such as “Wonder How”. Despite interest from major labels, the band has remained independent. They continued to shape their sound on their own terms.
While comparisons to Britpop mainstays are inevitable, ALIVE feels less like imitation and more like reinterpretation. The EP leans into familiar textures, yet maintains a sense of immediacy that keeps it from sounding overly nostalgic. In a crowded indie landscape, Pleasure Pill’s latest release stands out not for reinventing the genre. But for delivering it with clarity, confidence, and just enough edge to feel current.
Press Release; Photo: Alejandra Cardenas
