Kevin Bronson on October 11th, 2024

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Greatest Hits … This Week (Vol. 311) reflects what a huge week we had for album releases: The Linda Lindas, Dawes, Touché Amoré, Meija, Current Joys, Ariella, Outside Air and Harmony and more are repped in this mix. Also check out new singles from Mara Connor, Saint Motel, Eric Cannata, Wallice, Lou Lou Safron, Red Ribbon, Half•Alive and more. With a cover by Bad Suns as a cherry on the top.

Note: Anita Wills contributed to today’s roundup.

■ Mara Connor, “American Dream” — There’s red-white-and-blue bunting, diners and bars and churches, sparklers and a denim-clad singer in the video for “American Dream.” And the singer is not Bruce Springsteen. It’s Mara Connor (“No Fun”), whose new single probes the difference between the American Dream and National Delusion, contemporary references intact. “This is a reminder of what’s at stake in this upcoming election … human decency, fundamental rights and democracy itself,” Connor says. “Here’s hoping for a brighter future that includes everyone.” Casting a ballot for this song, and suspecting that if the Boss ever hears this one, he’d be proud. Live Oct. 29 at Healing Force of the Universe in Pasadena.

■ Current Joys, “Tormenta” — Friendly reminder that Current Joys’ new album, “East My Love,” is out today. Mastermind Nick Rattigan stirs in some folk-country and indie-rock here, having penned the record while holed up in the woods three years before the album “Love + Pop,” which he released this past spring. The rewards are many, including but not limited to “Lullaby for the Lost,” “California Rain” and “They Shoot Horses.” A true long-player. Live Nov. 20 at the Bellwether.

■ The Linda Lindas, “Nothing Would Change” — Friendly reminder that “No Obligation,” the sophomore album from the Linda Lindas, is out today. Live tonight at the Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever.

■ Touché Amoré, “Subversion (Brand New Love) (feat. Lou Barlow)” — Friendly reminder that “Spiral in a Straight Line,” the sixth full-length from Touché Amoré, arrived today, another in the band’s angsty mix of melody and mayhem. Lou Barlow (Sebadoh, Dinorsaur Jr.) and Julien Baker (Boygenius) appear as guests, and the band’s mini-documentary is worth a watch.

■ Wallice, “Deadbeat” — “Heavy is the crown that you wear so proud / wish you were proud of me,” Wallice sings on the violin-driven “Deadbeat,” the follow-up single to “Gut Punch Love” and the latest from her album, “The Jester,” out Nov. 15.

■ Meija, “Devotion” — Friendly reminder that Jamie Sierota’s sophomore album as Meija, “There’s Always Something,” is out today. It boasts collaborations with EELS, Jawny and Hand Habits, as well as a new single in which he contemplates whether “Devotion” is hereditary. Live Dec. 9 at the Moroccan Lounge.

■ Dawes, “Mister Los Angeles” — You know people like “Mister Los Angeles,” and you’ll nod along knowingly to the lead track on the new Dawes album, “Oh Brother,” which came out today. Co-produced by Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith with all-around friend Mike Viola, Dawes’ ninth LP offers more of the band’s wistful but wary folk-rock. Rhe release-day bonus: The “Mister Los Angeles” video, co-starring Conan O’Brien. Live Dec. 7 at the Bellwether.

■ Saint Motel, “Steady Hand” — In typical orchestral splendor, Saint Motel heralds the February arrival of a new album, “Saint Motel & the Symphony in the Sky.” It’s the follow-up to this summer’s single “Stay Golden.” Live March 14 at the Wiltern.

■ Lou Lou Safran,”Parallel Lines” — Eighteen-year-old singer-songwriter Lou Lou Safran’s new single “Parallel Lines” is a Western-styled song with a mature undertone off her forthcoming debut album
“How To Hang Out With Friends Like Nothing’s Wrong.”

■ Eric Cannata, “The Wave” — You know Eric Cannata as guitarist for SoCal luminaries Young the Giant (and in his teenage years, the Jakes). The beachy pop of “The Wave” (video) introduces Cannata’s solo album debut, “Holding on to the Holy,” out Jan. 24. He’ll do solo sets Jan 19 and 20 at the Troubadour as the opener for Young the Giant’s sold-out anniversary shows.

■ Clara-Nova, “Cheer Up” — Sydney Wayser’s sixth Clara-Nova single of 2024 feels like the directive its title implies. Gonna keep repeating it to myself for the next 25 days.

■ Mehro, “Lady Partys & Mannequins” — A year and a half removed from his sad/sensitive/smart-dude album “Dark Corners and Alchemy,” Mehro rocks out (and by that we mean really rocks out) on “Lady Partys & Mannequins.” “I don’t see myself as a genre artist, I want to give the listener what they least expect,” says the artist, born Sam Sturges. “‘Lady Parts and Mannequins’ is another step into the unknown, another barrier of fear to break through.”

■ Dear Francis, “Godheads” — Jennifer Francis Clavin’s introspective solo project Dear Francis is all about “a process of solitude where a girl, a bedroom and a cassette recorder are its heart and soul.” You can witness a younger version of Clavin (Bleached, Mika Miko) break into a local Atwater Village bakery via old home video cassette footage in the music video for her new ’90s-inspired single “Godheads.”

■ Zzzahara, “Ghosts” — Highland Park’s Zahara Jaime introduces the new Zzzaraha album with the bright indie-emo rocker “Ghosts,” made with Illuminati Hotties’ Sarah Tudzin, who along with Jorge Elbrecht, Alex Craig Franco Reid is one of several producers on the LP. It’s titled “Spiral Your Way Out,” arriving Jan. 10 via Lex Records.

■ Ariella, “Idea” — Typically emotionally vulnerable, “Idea” is the release-day single that welcome’s Ariella Fett’s new album “CryBaby” into the world. See also: “Ready,” “Now” and “Blindsided.” Catch Ariella Oct. 20 at Permanent Records Roadhouse.

■ Red Ribbon, “YSFP” — “To work up the courage to write this, I had to fool myself into thinking I was writing about one of my best friend’s wedding,” singer-songwriter Emma Danner say of the new Red Ribbon single, which introduces the project’s third album, titled “Red Ribbon” (out Nov. 1) and produced by Rob Schnapf. “I wanted to say ‘You’re So Fucking Pretty’ in a sense of awe to her because she is so beautiful to me. But it became so obvious that this is a breakup song. And that this record is so much about — although not entirely — that ending. I tend to have clarity in my work before I have clarity in my mind. So many times, I’ve written about something only to see it come to fruition later. I need to be careful about it. I presume it works the way that many things do: thoughts turn into words, which turn into action, which turns into reality. It’s not like magic or anything, it’s just how it goes.”

■ Frankie and the Witch Fingers, “i-Candy” — Frankie and the Witch Fingers follow up “Bonehead” with “i-Candy,” a fun concept single about, “a female sex robot, she isn’t programmed for any man’s need; she’s out to clean up the streets and settle the score in blood.” The proto-punk band is set to play Daze & Confused Fest tonight.

■ Some Gifts, “Sympathy for the Free Market” — Friendly reminder that L.A. trio post-hardcore trio Some Gifts have released their new album, “Misguided,” their fourth full-length, another in a line of politically charged volleys full of slashing riffs and muscular rhythms. “Sympathy for the Free Market” gets the LP off to a roaring start.

■ Leo Lauren, “Vampire” — Something haunted this way comes, in the way of the new single and video, “Vampire,” from Leo Lauren. Back in August, we featured his “Lovesick,” and now there’s news that his EP, “Supernormal,” will be out in early 2025.

■ Breymer, “The Feeling (When I See You)” — Breymer’s music is the handiwork of Sarah Walk, whose meticulously crafted pop shines on “The Feeling (When I See You),” a single from her LP, “When I Get Through,” produced by Grammy-nominated Tyler Chester and out next week. Catch them Oct. 12 at Wozimer Gallery for their album-release show which will raise money for Trans Defense Fund LA.

■ Outside Air, “XYZ” — Charlie Glick and Kevin Farzd comprised one-half of the breezy pop duo Sure Sure (“Hands Up Head Down”), having now continued trade in all things infectious under the name Outside Air. Today brought the release of Outside Air’s debut LP, “Forever,” should you need some weekend uplift. Live Nov. 2 at Healing Force of the Universe.

■ Ella Rosa, “Fun” — Eloise Rosamond Markham grew up in England and moved to New York before matriculating to L.A. to continue mashing pop genres as Ella Rosa. The caffeinated beats of “Fun” leave us all aswirl.

■ Charles Moret, “Cotton 1 Eye” — Charles Moret’s new single “Cotton 1 Eye” is a poignant piano ballad with an intense, slow build-up to a chorus that is well worth the wait.

■ Saint Cecilia, “Everyone You Know (Velvet Dream Version)” — Cecilia Enriquez teams with producer Joel Jerome to re-imagine “Everyone You Know,” a song from Saint Cecilia’s debut album, 2016’s “Entrance.”

■ Lisa Heller, “Loser!” — Lisa Heller delivers with “Loser!,” the first single off of her upcoming EP. “Loser” is a pop-punk anthem with quality vocals and personal lyrics about allowing herself to be loved: “What a fucking tragedy / Fighting against gravity / When you appeared so suddenly and now / I fell into this tragedy.”

■ Capital Cities, “The Monster in My Closet” — One of two new singles arriving today from Capital Cities (the other, “She Flows Like H2O,” features Alex Rzyan).

■ Harmony, “Technologique” — “Technologique” is an adventurous electro-pop song and final single off “Gossip,” the debut solo album from Harmony Tividad (Girlpool). You can see Harmony in person tonight at Bar Dada in Echo Park.  Also: See the Sim’s version of her here in the new music video for “Technologique” 

■ The Armoires, “Me & Ridley After the Apocalypse” — Friendly reminder that “Octoberland,” the new album from the Armoires, is out today, full of what they call “unapologetic lit-rock.” Thinking caps on for “Me & Ridley After the Apocalypse,” in which they spell out A-P-O-C-A-L-Y-P-S-E. Don’t try that at home.

■ Half•Alive, “Automatic” — “Automatic” is the follow-up single to “Sophie’s House” from dance-pop band Half•Alive. Their new album “Persona” drops Nov. 15.

■ Chaos Chaos, “Do You Feel It (With Strings)” — Sisters Asy and Chloe Saavedra revisit their biggest hit, which appeared on Chaos Chaos’ breakout EP, “Committed to the Crime,” which came out 10 years ago this week.

■ Twilight Lounge, “Nothing Never Ends” — Twilight Lounge is the solo project of multi-instrumentalist  Alabama born Noah Shaner. “Nothing Never Ends” is a psychedelic track about “realizing that you have the ability to change your life. Nothing changes unless you change something.”

■ Daryl Johns, “Happy” — Daryl Johns has played with the likes of Pat Metheny, Vijay Iyer, the Lemon Twigs, Macy Gray and, most recently, Mac DeMarco. You can get “Happy” (or get ideas for ’70s TV show score) on Johns’ self-titled album, out Nov. 22 via Mac’s Record Label. Live Nov. 24 at Gold-Diggers.

■ Bad Suns, “Lovefool” — We wrap this week’s playlist with a cover of the Cardigans’ 28-year-old hit “Lovefool.” Says Christo Bowman: “A few summers back, I was checking out at the grocery store when over the radio came the song ‘Lovefool’ … I made a voice memo to myself that we should cover it so I didn’t forget. The cashier overheard me, looked at me and said, ‘That’s a really good idea.’”