Kevin Bronson on September 27th, 2024

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Welcome to Buzz Bands LA’s Greatest Hits … This Week (Vol. 309). Herein please find:

— Songs from new albums by Christian Lee Hutson, Pearl & the Oysters, Mediocre, Kate Bollinger, Isaac Watters, Gallant, Origami Angel and Almost Monday;
— New singles from Charlie Hickey, Agender, Frankie and the Witch Fingers, SASAMI, Fake Dad, Katie Gavin, Ed Vallance, Junior Varsity and a bunch more;
— And some people calling themselves So What! Who Cares? (Well, we do.)

Stay thirsty for discovery. Satiate yourself here.

■ Christian Lee Hutson, “Carousel Horses” — “Paradise Pop. 10” is not just the new dynamic new album from L.A.’s Christian Lee Hutson, it’s a cool short film directed by Meg Ha. Watch it here. As for the album (co-produced by Phoebe Bridgers, Marshall Vore and Joseph Lorge), it’s Hutson’s third, alternately rugged and tender and brimming with the songwriter’s fierce lyrical chops. Hutson, who played Thursday night at the South Pasadena Masonic Lodge with semi-surprise guest Jackson Browne, does an in-store tonight at Fingerprints in Long Beach.

■ SASAMI, “Slugger” —  “This album is all about learning and respecting the craft of pop songwriting, about relenting to illogical passion, obsession and guiltless pleasure,” Sasami Ashworth says of her third album, “Blood on the Silver Screen,” out March 7 via Domino. “It’s about leaning into the chaos of romance and sweeping devotion — romanticism to the point of self-destruction.” Here’s the opening track on the album, “Slugger,” and watch SASAMI’s turn at bat here.

■ Mediocre, “I Might Be Giant” — Singer-guitarist Piper Torrison and bassist-vocalist Keely Martin today unveil their debut album, “Growth Eater,” out via Dangerbird Records. Made with producer Danny Nogueiras (No Win) and drummer Jake Pavlica, the LP carves out a space alongside the angsty, brooding sounds of indie-rockers from the ’90s and ’00s. Check out “Fun Time Fix (We Go Go)” and “Litterbug!,” and check out the video for “I Might Be Giant.” See Mediocre celebrate the album release Oct. 3 at Permanent Records Roadhouse.

■ Charlie Hickey, “Death Grip” — “Death Grip” is the first new original from Charlie Hickey since (checks notes) his debut album “Nervous at Night” in 2022. Jonathan Rado produced the song, co-written with Steph Jones and featuring Hand Habits on guitar.

■ SLUGS, “Origami” — The follow-up to the head-turning “91,” “Origami” is the second single from SLUGS’ debut album “In Btwn,” out Nov. 1. True to the title, origami cameos in Wes O’Connor’s video. Live Nov. 11 at Zebulon.

■ Origami Angel, “Where Blue Light Blooms” — Emo torchbearers Ryland Heagy and Pat Doherty — masterminds of the band Origami Angel — today return with their third full-length, “Feeling Not Found.” The title’s a sly commentary on today’s digital age, of course; the Washington, D.C.-bred outfit packs emotions aplenty on the album, made with Grammy-nominated producer Will Yip (Turnstile, Title Fight, The Wonder Years). Live Nov. 1 and Nov. 2 at the Glass House.

■ Agender, “Things Things Things” — Post-punk quartet Agender introduces their new album “Berserk” (out in February) with a tongue-in-cheek disco jam, “Things Things Things” (video). Oh, the things things things we like. And Blondie.

■ ANDREA, “Milk Money” — After several years of pop releases under the name Emma Cole, singer-songwriter Andrea Lynn Martin has decided to let her punk flag fly. So meet ANDREA, rebellious and sizzling with jagged glory on the project’s first single, “Milk Money,” made with co-producer Chris Caplan. “I had a re-awakening not only to the type of sound that I wanted to be creating but to the purpose and messaging behind what I wanted to say,” the songwriter says.

■ Frankie and the Witch Fingers, “Bonehead” — Ahead of a tour that kicks off tonight in Colorado, Frankie and the Witch Fingers return with a visceral punk rocker, “Bonehead,” the band’s first release since last year’s album “Data Doom.”

■ So What! Who Cares?, “Jobs” — With Tidal Babes (see this from way back when) on hiatus, Lyndsi Austin, Chris Qualls and Danny DeLeon have segued into a new project, which they’re calling So What! Who Cares? Expanding the lineup to include co-lead vocalist Sonya Bender and guitarist Bianca Posey (Beginners), they’ve released their first single, the dance-tastic “Jobs.” Fun video, too, directed by Conor C. Long.

■ Ed Vallance, “Seventeen” — L.A.-based Brit Ed Vallance introduces his new album “Swim” (out Nov. 14). “There’s a lot of pent-up grief and longing on the record that’s probably very English,” Vallance says of the LP, made with longtime collaborator John Schreffler at the latter’s studio in Santa Clarita. “But amongst the dark stuff, there’s also come Californian sunshine.” Behold the spare beauty of first single “Seventeen.”

■ Fake Dad, “Touch Me” — The bicoastal duo of Andrea de Varona and Josh Ford, dba Fake Dad, made a mark with a pair of hook-filled EPs in 2021 and ’23. “Touch Me” is their second single since last fall’s second EP.

■ Isaac Watters, “New Space & Time” — The first LP from Isaac Watters, “New Space & Time,” follows two “Extended Play” EPs and a raft of cinematic/experimental folk music he released under his full name, John Isaac Watters between 2009 and ’17. “NS&T” is like curling up with a good book, hanging on the often-devastating lines he reads so soberly.

■ Gallant, “Centigrade” (feat. Nao) — Gallant today released “Zinc.,” his first album in three years. Featuring the singles “Coldstar” and “Fly on the Wall,” its silky soul will smooth out your rough edges.

■ Fur Trader, “Merchant at the Colossus of Rhodes” — L.A.-via-Chicago songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Andrew Pelletier (ex-Minor Characters) weaves historical narratives into baroque pop wonders. Out today, “Whose Dream Is This” is Fur Trader’s fourth full-length and second this year.

■ Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith & Joe Goddard, “Neptunes” — Electronic experimentalist Kaityl Aurelia Smith and Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard have teamed up for an EP. Titled “Neptunes,” it’s out Nov. 22, boasting a title track that’s blissfully brisk. (Watch the video.) “I loved what the rhythm made me feel when I first heard it,” Smith says. “I actually thought he was tapping into Neptune as a planet, and the qualities I felt it possesses. So my side of things brought out more space-themed sounds as a result.”

■ Almost Monday, “Jupiter” — Friendly reminder that “Dive,” the debut album from San Diego’s Almost Monday, came out this week, featuring pop nuggets like “Can’t Slow Down,” “She Like Sports” and “Is It Too Late?” — not to mention new single “Jupiter.”

■ Junior Varsity, “Cross the Street” — The elastic bass line in Junior Varsity’s new single “Cross the Street” will have this effect.

■ Glass Generation, “Coming Clean” — L.A. quartet Glass Generation (Stefan Kennedy, Lo Kuei Na, Yu Cheng Na and Samuel Pacheco Villegas, who last year released their debut EP, “Never Better”) puts some sting into their ’90s-indebted rock new single, “Coming Clean.” Live Sept. 28 at the Glass House, opening for Sad Park.

■ Sam Blasucci, “Flower” — Sam Blasucci displays a little bit of old soul on the new single “Flower” (Nicole Hawkins’ video), the latest from his sophomore solo album, “Real Life Thing,” out Nov. 1. Live Oct. 1 at the Bellwether, opening for Allah-Las.

■ Katie Gavin, “Inconsolable” — “Inconsolable” is the third single from MUNA singer Katie Gavin’s solo album, “What a Relief,” out Oct. 25 from Phoebe Bridgers’ Saddest Factory Records. Come get a lil bit country.

■ MacGregor Burns, “Silent Answers” — Following up “She Never Took a Chance on Me,” MacGregor Burns has released another song from his Luke Temple-produced album, arriving next year. Enjoy the slacker charm of “Silent Answers.”

■ Spooky Mansion, “The River” — L.A.-via-Bay Area retro groovers Spooky Mansion have announced the Oct. 31 release of their third album, “What About You?” New single “The River: follows a stretch during which the band has released three other singles, including the title track.

■ Pearl & the Oysters, “Side Quest” — “Planet Pearl” is the new album from Pearl & the Oysters, and “Side Quest” kicks off the record in kaleidoscopic manner. Live Nov. 3 at the Echoplex.

■ Coleman, “Cali” — Coleman is the solo vehicle of Coleman Trapp, who was one-half the indie duo Coast Modern until its dissolution in 2022. “Cali,” his third single, offers some buoyant pop with a twinkle.

■ Kate Bollinger, “I See It Now” — Virginia-born, L.A.-based folk-pop songwriter Kate Bollinger today released her debut album, “Songs From a Thousand Frames of Mind.” The piano romp “I See It Now” (video) reveals just one of the musical nooks and crannies the album explores. Live Nov. 22 at the Teragram Ballroom.

■ Clay and Kelsy, “I Miss You” — Clay Burton and Kelsy Kemper make electronic pop as Clay and Kelsy. “I Miss You” swells and recedes, leaving a meticulously produced statement of longing.

■ The Toxhards, “Satan’s Little Hell Song” — The Toxhards rage toward the release of their debut album, “Your Neighborhood” (release date TBA), with a roaring little descent into Hades.

■ King Pari, “Somethin’ Somethin’” — Joe Paris Christensen and Cameron Kinghorn formed King Pari in Minneapolis and have since matriculated to L.A., where’s they’re signed to Stones Throw Records. Their album “There It Goes” is out digitally Oct. 18. Live Oct. 1 and Nov. 5 at the Let’s Go! Disco in DTLA.

■ Sloan Golden, “Long Conversations” — The title track of Sloan Golden’s new EP (out today) brings the songwriter’s six-song journey through anger, grief, fear and acceptance in for a soft landing.

■ War Strings, “Pure of Heart” — Andrew Stogel launched his solo project War Strings in the spring of 2020 right before the pandemic lockdown. Since he’s released three albums (two last year), and “Die By Light” (out Oct. 11) will make it four.