Kevin Bronson on
Here’s some pre-eclipse listening for you — Greatest Hits … This Week (Vol. 285).
The riches herein include the debut single from Sparkbyrd; album announcements/new songs from Beachwood Sparks, Milly, Winnetka Bowling League, Guppy, Draag, NxWorries, Jess Cornelius and Pride Month Barbie; and fresh tracks from Paige Stark, NoMBe, Max Foreman, La Luz, Cassowary, Tender Misfit, Townies, Tiny Stills and more.
This is our 13th playlist of the new year, so catch up on your 2024 here. Find info on the artists and songs beneath the player.
■ Milly, “Drip From the Fountain” — This week’s sounds-of-the-1990s wormhole gets blown open by “Drip From the Fountain,” the new track from songwriter Brendan Dyer and his allies in Milly. It introduces Milly’s sophomore album, “Your Own Becoming,” out June 28 via Dangerbird Records. “This was the final song we wrote for the record,” Dyer says, adding, “‘Time is running out but this moment feels nice’ is truly where my head was at.”
■ Winnetka Bowling League, “Handsome” — After five-plus years of infiltrating ears with affecting power-pop ditties, songwriter Matthew Koma and his comrades in Winnetka Bowling League will release their debut album, “Sha La La,” on May 31. “Handsome,” says Koma, is “about telling your friend to shut the fuck up about their new texting obsession and either go fishing or be fished.” WBL released the album’s title track in February. Live June 29 at the Troubadour.
■ Sparkbyrd, “Arrow” — Sparkbyrd is the new project from Lauren Willow White — aka Lauren Rocket — and North Carolina-based Chelsea Davis. Prior to her exploits as a solo pop artist, White was a side player for several well-known artists, and prior to that was a member of the original L.A. band named Rocket (in which Davis was the drummer). The first Sparkbyrd single, “Arrow,” is simply mesmerizing, whistling its way through heartache and into another musical era.
■ Beachwood Sparks, “Torn in Two” — Beloved purveyors of cosmic Americana, Beachwood Sparks are back after a 12-year hiatus. “Across the River of Stars,” their first full-length since 2012’s “Tarnished Gold,” will be out July 19. It finds producer Chris Robinson (The Black Crowes) working with Beachwood Sparks original members Chris Gunst, Brent Rademaker and Farmer Dave Scher, joined by Ben Knight, Jen Cohen Gunst and Andres Renteria. Lead single “Torn in Two” recalls “Yuma”-era Neil Young — or Beachwood Sparks, circa 2000 (when their self-titled debut emerged). Live July 27 at the Lodge Room.
■ Guppy, “American Cowboy” — “Something Is Happening …” is the title of the third album from Guppy, out May 17. They send up the supposed romanticism of the “American Cowboy” on their new single. Don’t get saddle-sore from chuckling, y’all.
■ Lo Moon, “Waiting a Lifetime” — Friendly reminder that Lo Moon’s new album, “I Wish You Way More Than Luck,” is out today. Tickets for their just-announced show Aug. 6 at the El Rey Theatre go on sale next Friday, April 12.
■ Kate Clover, “I Don’t Care” — Friendly reminder that today brought the release of rocker Kate Clover’s new album, “The Apocalypse Dream.” Live April 13 at the Echo.
■ The Palms, “Pretenders” — Friendly reminder that the Palms’ third full-length, “Wonderland,” arrived this week.
■ Cuffed Up, “Small Fry” — Friendly reminder that Cuffed Up’s debut album, “All You Got,” came out today. Here, for you Bandcamp shoppers.
■ Paige Stark, “Good at Love” — Musician and visual artist Paige Stark (the singer-drummer of L.A. dream-pop outfit Tashaki Miyaki) made her solo debut back in 2018 and ’19. Now she’s back with a Jon Brion-produced song, “Good at Love,” the title track to an EP she’ll release June 7. Find a quiet place to enjoy this one, and check out the video.
■ Young Jesus, “Moonlight” — The follow-up to “Brenda and Diane,” “Moonlight” is the latest single from Young Jesus’ new album, “The Fool,” out May 24 via Saddle Creek. Live June 6 at Scribble.
■ NoMBe, “Best Friend” — Pop craftsman Noah McBeth took a couple years off after releasing his sophomore album, “Chromatopia,” in 2021. Now he’s back with a couple entrancing singles, “Space for Two” and “Best Friend,” the latter released last week. He’ll release a new EP, “NOAH,” on April 26. Live May 2 at the Teragram Ballroom.
■ Tender Misfit, “Unforgiven” — Steeped in drama, “Unforgiven” is the latest single from Ariel Beesley, who’s released five singles since pivoting to her Tender Misfit persona last summer.
■ Max Foreman, “Letter of Resignation” — Singer, songwriter and producer Max Foreman (also, co-founder of the experimental duo Bouquet) sounds like he’s quitting on “Letter of Resignation.” But far from it (we think).
■ Cassowary, “Move!” — West Adams-reared jazz-soul fusionist Miles Kahlil (aka Cassowary) this week released his first single since his 2020 self-titled debut album. “Move!” was produced by three-time Grammy winner Om’Mas Keith, and that’s Kahlil himself on the wicked tenor sax.
■ NxWorries, “86Sentra” — The Anderson .Paak-Knxledge collaboration, which yielded the album “Yes Lawd!” eight years ago, are back with a new single and the announcement that their sophomore album, “Why Lawd?,” will be out June 7 via Stones Throw Records.
■ Jess Cornelius, “Back to the Mainland” — New Zealand-reared, L.A.-based Jess Cornelius will release her sophomore album, “Care/Taking,” on June 14. It’s produced by Mikal Cronin, and “Back to the Mainland” follows “People Move On” as another reason to think Cornelius’ new album will be every bit as dynamic as 2020’s “Distance.” Live June 14 at Scribble.
■ Draag, “Orb Weaver” — A year ago, Draag released their narcotic album “Dark Fire Heresy.” The dream-pop quintet — Adrian Acosta, Jessica Huang, Ray Montes, Nick Kelley and Eric Fabro – seem to be sipping from the same cup with “Orb Weaver,” the first song from a new EP, “Actually, the Quiet Is Nice,” out May 17. Live May 17 at the Bellwether, supporting Wednesday.
■ Bad Light, “Cyanide” — Bad Light are Ryan Barnes, Julian Fernandez-Vina, Nick Bottomley and Trent Tanzi. Just a year old, the quartet does massive, heavy (and beautiful if those qualities are your thing) shoegaze, and their debut EP, “Takes a Lifetime,” is out on Bandcamp and wherever earplugs are sold. Kidding about that last part, but be smart.
■ Death Lens, “Disturb the Peace” — The title of Death Lens’ new single speaks for itself. Their new album, “Cold World,” is out May 3 via Epitaph.
■ Tiny Stills, “Don’t Leave Me” — L.A. rockers Tiny Stills — Kailynn West, Jenny Merullo, Chris Clark and AJ Peacox — will release their third, album, “We Really Felt Something,” in June. “Don’t Leave Me” is is the quartet’s latest slice of emo/pop-punk. Live June 8 at the Moroccan Lounge.
■ Townies, “Rust” — Somebody has to put the broccoli emoji to good use. Boston-bred Townies, who’ve clowned around L.A. while working on their album “Of This I Am Certain,” are Tom Lynch, Chris Magnani and Nolan Melia. And they call the kind of emo that they do “broc rock.” Get steamed, the record is out April 12.
■ Staircase Wit, “Holly G” — Third single (and first since last October) from the new project helmed by Michael Fiore, once of Criminal Hygiene. Everything we said here still applies.
■ Pride Month Barbie, “Effulgent” — The follow-up to “Obsession,” the art-damaged synth-popper “Effulgent” arrived this week to introduce their debut LP, “All The Girls In The Room Say ‘Sorry’,” out June 14 via Get Better Records.
■ Almost Monday, “Is It Too Late?” — San Diego trio Almost Monday, possessed with an almost algorithmically predictability for hooks and melody, will release their debut album later this year. Live May 1 at the (sold-out) Teragram Ballroom, opening for Beach Weather.
■ LØLØ, “Poser” — Potty-mouthed, pouty, pop-punk from L.A.-based Toronto native Lauren Mandel, who, as LØLØ, will release her debut album, “Falling for Robots and Wishing I Was One,” on June 7 via Hopeless Records. She opens for Jxdn on July 27 and July 28 at the Belasco.
■ Porno for Pyros, “Fingernail” — Billed as the swan song from Perry Farrell-led Porno for Pyros and arriving as their farewell tour came to a close, “Fingernail” is a song of redemption, penned almost 30 years ago.
■ La Luz, “Poppies” — The follow-up to “Strange World,” “Poppies” is the new single from La Luz’s new album, “News of the Universe,” out May 24 via Sub Pop. Live Nov. 8 and Nov. 9 at the Lodge Room.
■ Local Natives, “Alpharetta” — Local harmonizers Local Natives share a new single from their sixth LP, “But I’ll Wait for You,” out April 19.
■ Kamasi Washington, “Dream State” (feat. André 3000) — We’ll wrap this week’s playlist with the immersive new track from Kamasi Washington’s new album “Fearless Movement,” out May 3. See him June 16 at the Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival.
