Kevin Bronson on March 10th, 2015

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Orange County trio Wetwood Smokes make indie-rock that carries a certain gravitas, and they came out swinging last year on their deceptively titled debut EP, the self-released “Earth Tones & Red,” which mixed pop hooks and anthemic bombast to good effect.  The band — stepbrothers Josh Bowman and Steven Howard, along with their childhood neighbor Chrystian Cano, all of whom trade off on instruments — teamed up with young Tustin-based producer Jon O’Brien (Young the Giant, Nilu, Billy Kernkamp, Yellow Red Sparks, Jeramiah Red) for their new EP. It’s called “Organ Donor,” and the title track is a slow-building rocker backed by a chorus of ooh-oohs that recalls the explosiveness of Delta Spirit. It’s a cathartic way to wriggle away from self-doubt too — you’re thinking, “’Cause I don’t think I’m good enough / to even receive your kind of love” one moment, but four minutes later, after the song’s nifty false ending, you’re screaming to high heaven. Feels good.

||| Stream: “Organ Donor”

||| Live: Wetwood Smokes celebrate the release of their new EP with a show March 19 at the Wayfarer, along with the Brevet and Bird and the War.