One Outta Ten and the New Reality of Love in Indie Rock

Photo Courtesy by Kris (@nowlifeislivingyou)

Los Angeles-based indie rock band One Outta Ten opened the year with the release of their single “Distant Stars,” offering an early look into the theme that would later shape their album Like You Never Left, which released earlier this year in February.

Known for their melodic sound, engaging live performance, and emotionally driven lyrics, the five-piece creates a sound that mixes catchy melodies with feelings of uncertainty about growing up. With “Distant Stars,” the band leaned further into that emotional tension, shifting their focus from idealized or romanticized relationships to the realities of maintaining it.

The track arrived as a counterpart to their previous release, “Two of Cups,” which explored the stability and comfort of a developing relationship. Contrastingly, “Distant Stars” centered on anxiety and endurance, capturing the fear of losing something meaningful and the effort required to hold onto it. Rather than presenting love as something effortless, the song framed it as something that evolves and at times, feels uncertain.

In a statement, the band described “Distant Stars” saying, “Where ‘Two of Cups’ is an ode to an early, stable love between my partner and I, this song is almost a prayer to get through the hard times that life throws at a relationship,” emphasizing the idea that lasting connections require work from both sides. “Two of Cups was even written from my partner's point of view, attempting to soothe my anxieties. In “Distant Stars,” my anxieties and worries take center stage, where I'm asking the powers to make sure the love between me and my partner can overcome what could possibly separate us.”

The single previewed Like You Never Left, an album that explores the entire part of a relationship such as the good, the bad, and the uncomfortable realities in between. The band has previously explored the concept of “’kenopsia’ the eerie, forlorn atmosphere of a place that's usually bustling with people but is now abandoned and quiet.” Like You Never Left builds on this idea, capturing the experience of missing not just a person, but who they once were to you.

Throughout the album, each member draws from their own experiences, reflecting different stages of love and how those experiences reshape who they are.

With both the single and album now released, alongside the “Growing Up” music video, One Outta Ten continues to position themselves within indie rock’s more reflective turn one which embraces the complexity of modern relationships. The band is set to perform at The Paramount in Los Angeles on April 4.

What song resonates with you the most out of their album? Let us know in the comments below or by reaching out to us on Instagram or X.

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Edited by Martina Yee