Singles Spotlight: Strange Lot –
“Eyes For Ya”

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I’m excited to discuss another Texas-based musician creating some great music: Strange Lot. What was originally a solo bedroom project by then Phoenix, Arizona-based singer and guitarist Dominic Mena has evolved into a quartet in Austin, Texas, after moving there in 2019. Previous releases of the Strange Lot project include Walk of the Sun EP (2014), Another Mind (2015),  Gods & Clods (2017), and MindState (2020), with Bandcamp links to explore after you finish this Spotlight. It was Another Mind that “reached #73 on the CMJ Top 100 and was named among the Top 10 Best Albums by Phoenix Artists,” according to the band’s bio and a press release for their upcoming self-titled album via Greenway Records, which is out Friday, August 14th.

The press release for the album elaborates more, noting, “In 2022, Dominic Mena found himself without a band, coming close to walking away from Strange Lot entirely. Instead of ending the project, he returned to its roots, recording alone and rebuilding from the ground up. The intention was clear: move beyond the familiar lane of psych’s 90’s revival and create something that felt missing. The result was a deliberate fusion of strong, driving rhythms, fuzzed-out psych guitars, crunchy synth textures, and hazy, shoegaze-leaning atmospheres.

Over the course of a month, Dominic wrote and recorded nearly 30 demos, shaping the foundation of what would become the record. He shared the material with Alex Maas, who described the approach as ‘fresh’ and stepped in to produce. The two spent the next year developing the album, with Dominic recording all material and Alex guiding the direction and helping refine the sound. As the project moved into mixing, Jim Eno was brought in to mix key tracks including ‘5 AM,’ ‘Timeline Drops,’ ‘Hatin’ You,’ and ‘Always Alone,’ focusing on clarity, impact, and precision. The final stage was handled by Howie Weinberg, whose mastering brought cohesion and depth to the finished record.

With the album complete, Dominic assembled a new lineup to translate the material into a live setting, forming the current iteration of Strange Lot and setting the stage for the band’s next chapter on the road.” Buckle up if you’re not already. Let’s hit the road and put some Strange Lot on.

Giving more credit where it’s due, here are the Strange Lot album credits:

• All songs written by Dominic Mena
• Produced by Alex Maas & Dominic Mena
• Mixed by Dominic Mena, with additional mixing by Adam Gibbs
• Tracks 2, 4, 5 & 12 mixed by Jim Eno
• Engineered by Dominic Mena & Adam Gibbs
• Mastered by Howie Weinberg
• Tim Lormor: drums on all tracks except 6, 9, 10, 13 & 14
• Artwork by Kyle Duce

Now that we’ve talked about the album a little bit, let’s explore one song in particular. I’d say that it is my favorite song on the album and also a great introduction to the Strange Lot project, so I’m stoked to share and talk about “Eyes For Ya” as part of SWT’s Singles Spotlight series. If you’re returning back, thanks for coming back! Keep spreading the word about the series and our other content.

The song is a fun, psychedelic time, paired with shoegaze-inspired vocals and vibes. It’s a good mix. Think psych for introverts. Very chill vibes at its core, even though the lyrics are discouraged and somewhat energetic. The mission continues. I dig this song, and I think you will too. SWT doesn’t post everything and anything. If psychedelic music is among your favorite genres, you’ll probably have this on repeat. Let us know what you think. But don’t take my word for it; listen for yourself.

Shapes and distorted lines galore within the creative video for the song, “Eyes For Ya” from a collab between Strange Lot and Greenway Records YouTube channels:

(All credits and rights to both Strange Lot and Greenway Records)

The cover art for their self-titled album Strange Lot :

The track list for the Strange Lot album:

1. All I Know
2. Always Alone
3. It’s Always You
4. Timeline Drops
5. 5 AM
6. Inside Out
7. Nobody Seems to Do the Math
8. Eyes For Ya
9. Go Have a Dream
10. Never Gonna Happen
11. The Many Faces
12. Hatin’ You
13. Silent Vault
14. Not Afraid Anymore

Alex M Theel

Co-Founder, Reviewer, Content Creator, Business side, Editor at Scummy Water Tower Productions | Web

Scummy Water Tower Productions co-founder, reviewer, business manager, and editor. Thank you for visiting this site, scummywatertower.com, and YouTube for Water Tower Sessions and SWT Interviews. And all of our socials.
Questions, feedback, or more? Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com