“We’re all stuck out in the desert and we’re gonna die”: Right from the jump, Scottish-American Johnathan Rice lets you know that he has moved to L.A., where he composed this classic SoCal singer-songwriter album. Sarcastic, not that hopeful (the protest song protests protest songs), full of coyotes, wildfires and wistful looks back at what might have been, this is an impressive set for anyone, let alone a 24-year-old with just one previous release. He duets with his boo, Jenny Lewis, on “The End of the Affair,” and he channels the Byrds on “What Am I Gonna Do?” before the chiming chords turn into Pixies-ish prickiness. If there’s a drawback to Further North, it’s Rice’s parched delivery, which makes the songs sound more world-weary than the words would suggest. Still, this is a collection Warren Zevon would have been proud of — and he couldn’t sing, either.

Download: “The Middle of the Road,” “What Am I Gonna Do,” “Further North”