Kevin Bronson on April 12th, 2024

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Even with that one festival starting today, there was a lot on our plate for Greatest Hits … This Week (Vol. 286). Check out songs from Janelane, Lawrence Rothman, Talker, Ariella, Launder, David Robert Pollock, Claire Rousay, Auditorium, The Black Watch, Jesse Jo Stark, Jade Bird, Irontom, Big Search, Cary Brothers, Catpack, Love Trip, Vicky Farewell and more on this weekly installment from Buzz Bands LA.

■ Talker, “Old Enough” — Six years, three EPs and a roller-coaster of melodic memoirs later, songwriter Celeste Tauchar will release her debut Talker album on June 21. It’s titled “I’m Telling You the Truth,” and the kinetic “Old Enough” is the introductory single. The album will include previously released songs, “Twentysomething,” “Drag Your Feet” and “Easygoing.”

■ Janelane, “Dance Floor” — “Love Letters,” songwriter Sophie Negrini’s new album as Janelane, is out today, full of bright indie-pop reminiscent of the Sundays and sundry other artists from that era. The album was made with producers Joey Oaxaca and Nic Hessler, and if the title track and “Useless” didn’t bring a smile on your face, try “Dance Floor.” Live (with Mo Dotti and Cupid & Psyche) at Zebulon on April 22.

■ Launder, “Ash” — Launder’s first release since their widescreen 2022 album “Happening” finds main man John Cudlip teaming up with Jackson Phillips (Day Wave) for something a little ethereal and downtempo.

■ Ariella, “Ready” — The new single from Ariella Fett — just the second she’s released under her solo guise Ariella — sounds like it’s been smoldering on the back burner since the mid-’90s, its melancholy finally boiling over. It was released this week with the news that she has signed with Lauren Records (Guppy, Career Woman, et al).

■ Shiro, “Delusion” — Shiro, the duo of Hannah Park and Steven Spillane, debuted their darkly compelling synth-pop in 2018. See also last fall’s single, “Burning.” Live April 14 at Alex’s Bar.

■ Love Trip, “Wind on the Hill” — The duo of Love Trip (Mary Rosing and Billy Hammer) — meld folk and electronic music, making their home base in a camper van. They must’ve parked under a sky full of stars to create the mystical “Wind on the Hill,” which comes with a ripping violin solo. It’s just their second single, following the equally astral “Desert Heart,” released in February. 

■ Auditorium, “Northeast Los Angeles Grizzly” — Songwriter Spencer Berger’s first Auditorium single since last year’s album “Life Changer” is a earful, both lyrically and vocally. Exactly the wild ride you’ve come to expect from the alum of the Metropolitan Opera’s Children’s Chorus since he started his DIY pop project over a decade ago.

■ Jesse Jo Stark, “Skeleton” — The new single from Jesse Jo Stark begins … well, skeletally, with her voice just a tick above a whisper. “Skeleton” slow-builds to a roar as Stark declares, “I can’t complain … I won’t complain …” Live May 5 at the Fonda Theatre, opening for the Veronicas.

■ Irontom, “Chameleon” — With a slew of dates ahead this summer opening for Red Hot Chili Peppers, L.A. rockers Irontom have released a new banger, “Chameleon.” Live headlining date May 22 at Saint Rocke.

■ Dylan Chambers, “I Can Never Get Enough” — The follow-up to “High (When I’m Low),” “I Can Never Get Enough” is the latest from pop-soul time traveler Dylan Chambers. His first EP, “For Your Listening Pleasure!,” is out May 17. Free show April 23 at Resident.

■ Jade Bird, “C’est La Vie” — U.K.-born, L.A.-based Jade Bird has released her new EP, “Burn the Hard Drive” (title track here), and scheduled an acoustic tour. Live May 22 at the Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever.

■ Lawrence Rothman, “Dreams Die Hard” — Here’s what Lawrence Rothman says about his new single, “Dreams Die Hard”: “In a world that’s pulling everyone apart at the seams I lyrically wanted to explore the universal idea of dreams. Differences aside, we all dream waking and sleeping. Dreams infest everyone’s thoughts. Language, ethnicity, religion, values, the dirt you stand on, in your particular part of the planet, we are all connected with this one common thread. We dream. Sounds obvious and silly — maybe even naive — to think about that deeply. But I believe the key to any chance of a utopian co-existence here on this blue dot lays somewhere between the realm of waking and dreaming. A meditative realm where a calmness and peace overshadow daily, materialistic driven chaos … Ruled by $$$$$$ is our mantra. It’s the root which triggers all the horrors of humanity … If we stayed on that in-between plain of existence (dreams) or even if we were able to access that plain of existence through technology assisting us maybe just maybe a more civilized planet could exist.” Rothman’s new album, “The Plow That Broke the Plains,” is out April 26. Live April 25 at the Lodge Room.

■ The Black Watch, “Oh Do Shut Up” — Kesha Rose guests as lead vocalist on “Oh Do Shut Up,” the second single from the Black Watch’s 22nd album, “The Morning Papers Have Given Us the Vapours,” out April 19.

■ Big Search, “Luck Rains Down” — We pause all ongoing signs of the apocalypse for this note of positivism. “Luck Rains Down” is the new single from songwriter Matt Popieluch’s Big Search, produced by Jason Quever and featuring Kacey Johansing on harmonies. “The song is a reminder to myself that even when everything seems hopeless and maddening, luck finds us in strange and unexpected ways sometimes if we are paying attention,” Popieluch says. We hear shades of mellow Neil Young on this one. Big Search’s fourth full-length, “Animal Cheer,” is out later this year.

■ Between Friends, “Drive Over Me” — “Drive Over me” is the lead track on sibling duo Between Friends’ new EP, “Garage Sale,” out today. Full bop.

■ Cary Brothers, “Never Coming Back to Earth” — The new single from Cary Brothers, “Never Coming Back to Earth,” is featured in the new, Brittany Snow-directed film “Parachute,” which opens this week.

■ Vicky Farewell, “Push It” — “I was going for my own twisted version of the Jeopardy theme song,” Vicky Nguyen (aka Vicky Farewell) says of the new single from “Give a Damn,” her sophomore album, which out May 10 on Mac’s Record Label. Live May 15 at Zebulon.

■ Catpack, “Midnight” — Catpack, the trio of Phil Beaudreau, Jacob Mann and Amber Navran (Moonchild), will release their self-titled album on June 21 via Tru Thoughts. They debuted back in January, and “Midnight” is a snack of dialed-back funk and dreamlike vocals.

■ Ayleen Valentine, “000memories” — Twenty-two-year old Miami native Ayleen Valentine dropped out of Berklee and moved to L.A. to further her musical exploits, which encompass vaguely haunted electro missives that she self-produces. “000memories” is the third single she’s released this year as she gears up to relkease her debut album, “Little Rainbows After Death,” out May 3. Live May 16 at the Moroccan Lounge.

■ David Robert Pollock, “I Want the World” — David Robert Pollock (fka D.C.R. Pollock) last released music in 2021 with the brilliant, understated, but unfortunately timed (thanks, COVID) album “Call the Dogs Off.” His first release for Anxiety Blanket Records, “I Want the World,” is featherbedded by acoustic guitar, pedal steel and strings yet echoes as a powerful statement of renewal.

■ Martina Amour, “Love to Gold” — Swedish actress/musician Martina Weidenmo releases her folk/pop songs under the name Martina Amour, and “Love to Gold” is one of those easy-on-the-ears, good-for-the-heart tracks crowding the mainstream pop space right now.

■ Ward White, “Continuity” — Power-pop crooner Ward White will issue his 15th full-length, “Here Come the Dowsers,” on May 17. “Continuity” is his latest left-of-center single, for fans of old-school guitar rock that cuts against the grain.

■ Kaycie Satterfield, “Video Girl” — The lo-fi, highly dreamy “Video Girl” is the latest single from singer-songwriter Kaycie Satterfield. She is one of many artists playing the Eastside Fux mini-festival on May 17-18 at Permanent Records Roadhouse.

■ Marella, “I Think She’s in Love With Me” — Singer-songwriter, drummer, ex-collegiate swimmer and, ultimately, “just a dude,” Daniel Marella makes heartfelt, unfussy indie-pop. Last year, he released his debut album, produced by Max Bienert, and they’re back with a treacly little tune about being the object of someone’s affection. Live tonight at the Wayfarer.

■ Claire Rousay, “Lover’s Spit Plays in the Background” — The title of experimental/ambient musician Claire Rousay’s new single name-checks the Broken Social Scene song “Lover’s Pit.” (BSS’s kevin Drew calls Rousay’s song: “A delicate ouija board of emotion for those who stay up too late,” in fact.) Rousay’s new full-length, “Sentiment,” is out next week. Live April 20 at 2220 Arts + Archives.