Stream: Greatest Hits … This Week (Vol. 273)

0
Cover image by Claudio Schwarz via unsplash.com

Editor’s note: As mentioned in the recent announcement about Buzz Bands LA, I am for the time being going to continue curating new-music playlists. For some reason, I felt obligated to include some factoids about each song and link live L.A. dates; old habits die hard. Anyone, here’s a new one. — KB

If you’re twiddling your thumbs waiting for the Coachella lineup to drop, maybe this will help pass the time …

Happy new year to our first playlist of 2024, Greatest Hits … This Week (Vol. 273), which includes a band named Fwango, so what more could you want? Press play to sample tracks from new albums by Nailah Hunter, Yungatita and Willow Stephens, along with new releases by Slow Hollows, Willow Avalon, Crêpe Girl, Franky Fox, Ty Segall, Laena Myers, Pete Yorn, Kid Bloom, Jacklen Ro, Gospelbeach, Alvidrez and more. Plus, an intercontinental collaboration featuring Inner Wave.

Ready … go:

Slow Hollows, “Idle Hands” — New single introduces the new album “Bullhead” (out March 8). Slow Hollows, now Austin Feinstein’s solo project, last released an album in 2019. Live May 10 at the Lodge Room.

Willow Avalon, “Honey Ain’t No Sweeter” — The pop singer (aka Willow Martin) known for her pet possum and debut single “Drivin” will release her first EP, “Stranger” (title track here), on Feb. 29.

Inner Wave & Schoolgirl Byebye, “Automatic” — Long-running L.A. stalwarts Inner Wave toured China last summer with Nanjing indie-rockers Schoolgirl Byebye, and a collaboration was born.

Nailah Hunter, “Bleed” — Latest single from the L.A. harpist-composer’s album “Lovegaze,” out Friday. Live on Friday at Zebulon.

Alvidrez, “Hymn for the Corner” — Multidisciplinary artist Libby Hsieh (ex-Girl Friday), now based in Glasgow, unveils the first single from her experimental pop project Alvidrez. A full-length, “Antiphon,” is out Feb. 20.

Crêpe Girl, “Drug” — Eliza Grégoire, who grew up in Indiana to French-born parents, makes crêpes and music. (Not to mention being a competitive cyclist.) Her third EP, “Stargazing,” is out March 22.

Fwango, “Never Sleep” — Fourth single from the quartet of Logan Hall, Zachery O Wagner, Cal Gunderson and Cody Pomeroy, reminiscent of the indie-rock of the Aughts.

Yungatita, “Pick at Your Face” — “Shoelace & a Knot,” one of the first album releases of 2024, is the debut from the Valentina Zapata-led band. Live May 29 at the Teragram Ballroom, opening for Cheekface.

Chalk Talk, “The Idiot” — First single since their 2022 sophomore album from the foursome of Nina Tartibi, Katie Pruden, Fia Rose and Stella Singer.

Franky Fox, “Sweet Sighs No More” — Shimmering new single and video from Franky Fox, who has a new EP out March 25.

Izzy Outerspace, “Takes Time” — Hold the dream-pop: Izzy Outerspace rocks out on this new single (video), a taste of the “Lip Service” EP that’s arriving in April.

Ty Segall, “My Best Friend” — Fourth single from Segall’s new album “Three Bells,” out Jan. 26. I’m positively smiling at the video. Live Feb. 23 at the Wiltern.

Friend of a Friend, “Heart of Stone” — The duo of Claire Molek and Jason Savsani made their sophomore album, “Facilities” (out March 15) with Jordan Lawlor (M83, J. Laser) in Joshua Tree. Live at the Love Song Bar on Jan. 18.

Laena Myers, “Bouquet” — Second single from Myers’ solo debut album,  “LUV (Songs of Yesterday),” out Feb. 23.

Pete Yorn, “Someday, Someday” — First new music since his “Hawaii” album a year and a half ago; for years Yorn has been making drop-dead pretty sound easy. (It ain’t.)

Itasca, “Milk” — Kayla Cohen will release her third album as Itasca on Feb. 9. It’s titled “Imitation of War.” Live Feb. 21 at Gold-Diggers with Sofia Bolt.

Kid Bloom, “Dead Butterflies” — First single from Lennon Kloser’s just-announced new EP, “Inner Light Part 1,” out Feb. 16. Live Feb. 18 at the Roxy.

Ashlynn Malia, “Dying to Miss Out” — From the debut full-length, “MALIA,” out Feb. 2. Live Monday, Jan. 15, at It’s a School Night at Bardot.

Willow Stephens, “Future Classic” — Old-school exuberant dance-pop song and the itle track of Stephens’ sophomore album, which came out this week. Live Jan. 24 at the Troubadour.

Yogurt, “Woah” — Don’t cringe at songwriter Yegor Borisenko’s misspelling of “whoa,” just roll with the free-spirited, goofy fun of Yogurt’s first solo single since last year’s full-length.

Charles Moothart, “One Wish” — Latest single from his album “Black Holes Don’t Choke,” out March 8. Live April 20 at Zebulon.

Jacklen Ro, “Falling for You” — A year after that heaping helping of feel-good (“Sunshine, I’m Counting on You”), the duo of Jackie Giroux and Caelen Perkins are back with another bright single.

Gospelbeach, “Hang Thyme” — “Wiggle Your Fingers,” the fourth (and “final,” says the press release) album from singer-guitarist Brent Rademaker and gang will be out April 26.

Swimming Bell, “For Al and Lee” — With a chorus recalling the classic “Forever Young,” songwriter Katie Schottland’s new single (cool video alert) is from Swimming Bell’s sophomore album, “Charlie,” out Jan. 19. Live Feb. 2 at Permanent Records Roadhouse.