The Los Angeles musician brings years on the road to a new project spanning slacker rock, alternative country and personal songwriting.
Some debut records arrive after years spent helping other people get their music onstage. That’s the background behind Loose, the solo project of Los Angeles musician Elias Avila, whose first solo album, Life Is Really Not So Good, arrived June 26, 2026, through Rose Garden Records.
Avila previously spent four years as a touring guitarist with The Frights before moving into tour management, working with acts including Daffo and Sad Park. Loose marks his first venture into solo recording—not his first experience making music.
From the Road to His Own Record
Rose Garden describes the project as a meeting of slacker rock, guitar-led alternative country and diaristic songwriting. That combination gives the debut an appealing premise: music rooted in personal uncertainty, with room for humor rather than an uninterrupted exercise in gloom.
The album’s title supplies a useful introduction to that outlook. Life Is Really Not So Good makes discontent explicit, while the label’s account of its creation points toward the everyday drift of someone trying to work out what comes next. For IRC readers interested in discovering a new solo voice with an established musical background, Loose deserves an introduction.
Three Songs to Start With
“Ten On Nine”
Released April 1, 2026, Loose’s first single is the clearest documented introduction to the project’s subject matter. Rose Garden connects the song with youthful listlessness, cigarettes, beer and the uncertainty of not knowing where life is heading. It establishes the personal territory behind the debut; the official video is below.
“Continental Breakfast”
The album’s second track runs 3:11 and provides the next stop after “Ten On Nine.” Play it alongside the opener to explore how Avila develops the project beyond its introductory single.
“Truck”
At 4:30, “Truck” gives the opening sequence its longest track. Follow the first two songs with this one, then continue through the nine-track album using the Bandcamp player below.
Listen to Life Is Really Not So Good
Artist: Loose / Elias Avila
Based in: Los Angeles, California
Style: Indie rock, slacker rock, alternative country
Debut solo single: “Ten On Nine” — April 1, 2026
Debut album: Life Is Really Not So Good — June 26, 2026
Label: Rose Garden Records
Official artist links · Spotify · Bandcamp · YouTube
Biography and project description: Rose Garden Records. Album details and track information: Loose’s official Bandcamp.