The Buttertones' retro blend of surf rock and garage pop has the refined finesse of 1960s and ‘70s rock, baroque pop, and spaghetti western soundtracks — all sealed with a timeless punk sneer. Their influences stretch from Scott Walker to Suicide to The Cramps, as they draw on those artists' most insidious sounds and transform them into a moody, modern, refreshingly mesmerizing mix all their own.

The Los Angeles–based band has been cooking up this rich, cinematic sound since 2011, when vocalist and guitarist Richard Araiza, bassist Sean Redman, and drummer Modesto Cobian — classmates at Hollywood's Musicians Institute — discovered a mutual love for vintage rock, pop, and R&B. According to the band, the name The Buttertones is a sort of portmanteau: "tones" evokes a ‘50s doo-wop group, while "butter" — an ingredient that has the power to bring out all the flavors in a dish — reflects their seamless fusion of myriad styles.

They first showed off this smooth blend on their self-titled debut album, initially released as a cassette via L.A. label Lollipop in 2013. Soon after, the trio expanded, adding second guitarist Dakota Bottcher and saxophonist London Guzman to round out the band. In 2015, they returned with their sophomore album, American Brunch. During these years, they'd regularly play venues in and around Southern California.

This led to a record deal with local indie label Innovative Leisure, which released The Buttertones' third album, Gravedigging, in 2017. They hit the road touring throughout the U.S. and Europe before returning with their fourth album — Midnight in a Moonless Dream — just over a year later.

Around the same time as the album's release, they made their debut at the 2018 Coachella Music and Arts Festival, followed by an extensive tour through North America and Europe. With each release and tour, The Buttertones continue to build a tight-knit following as they move their sound in new and fascinating directions.