Feminist grunge icons L7 have shared their first new song in three years. The track is called “Loma Linda,” and it dates back to 2003, when the band recorded the original demo alongside bassist Janis Tanaka. It is available as a free download on their website for the next week, and to stream on YouTube.
Donita Sparks, the band’s lead singer, explained the origins of the song in press materials. “I was searching the band’s archives and came across this unfinished track from when Janis was in the band,” she said. “It still sounded rather fresh and very L7 so we recorded new vocals with new lyrics and some other additional tracks and cranked it out in a couple of days ahead of this upcoming tour. Gotta warn ya, we dig it and hope you do too.”
The Demo That Refused to Die
“Loma Linda” started life as a rough recording from the early 2000s. Sparks found it while digging through old files. She heard something in the bones of the song that felt worth saving.
So the band rebuilt it. They recorded new vocals, wrote new lyrics, and added additional tracks. The whole process took just a couple of days. The song now stands as a reminder of what the band could do even when they were not at full strength. It is a finished version of a 2003 demo, resurrected from the files and given new life.
Jennifer Finch’s Death and the Last Hurrah Tour
Jennifer Finch, L7’s longtime bassist, died earlier this year after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. Her absence hangs over everything the band does now. The song arrives as a small gesture of continuity, a way to keep playing even as the reasons to play keep changing.
Tanaka has since rejoined Sparks, Suzi Gardner, and Dee Plakas ahead of the North American leg of their Last Hurrah Tour. The tour launches tomorrow, October 6, in San Diego. The reunion brings the band back together ahead of the upcoming dates.
Finch’s memoir, Shooting Up and Making Out, is set for posthumous publication in early 2027.
The Song’s Availability
The song itself is a free download for one week on the band’s website. It is also available to stream on YouTube. There is no purchase required, no pre-order, no paywall — just the music, available now.
The demo had sat unfinished for years. Now it has been completed, and the result is a song that sounds like the band has not missed a beat.
The Schedule Ahead
The tour starts tomorrow, October 6, in San Diego. That is the first date of the North American leg of the Last Hurrah Tour.
| Date | City |
|---|---|
| October 6 | San Diego |
What the Song Offers
L7 have always been a band that spoke directly about gender, power, and the politics of everyday life. Their songs were direct and unapologetic.
Here is what the song offers:
- A free download for one week on the band’s website
- Streaming on YouTube
- A finished version of a 2003 demo
- New vocals and new lyrics recorded in just a couple of days
For now, the song is the thing to hold onto.
Source material: “L7 Reunite With Former Bassist on New Song “Loma Linda”,” Pitchfork.
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