Kevin Bronson on February 7th, 2025

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Before we get to our regular weekly missive … it’s Bandcamp Friday and artists have responded to those in need by releasing new things to benefit victims of the L.A. wildfires. Among them are these compilations:

— “Los Angeles Rising: A Compilation Album to Raise Money for Those Affected by the Los Angeles Fires” benefits the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund and features 16 tracks from an all-star lineup including PJ Harvey, Gary Numan, Nick Cave, Jarvis Cocker, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Devo and more.

— “Good Music to Lift Los Angeles” benefits the LA Regional Food Bank and California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Fund and features a whopping 90 songs from the likes of Perfume Genius, Modest Mouse, Toro y Moi, Silversun Pickups, Cold War Kids, Lucius, Little Dragon and more.

— “Love LA – A Demo Compilation for Sweet Relief Musicians Fund & LA Fire Victims” boasts 21 in-the-raw tracks from Talker, Fiona Grey, Annabel Lee, Widows Gold, Rocky Votolato and more.

— “Super Bloom: A Benefit for Fire Relief in Los Angeles” supports a host of charities (itemized on Bandcamp) and features Shannon Lay, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Robyn Hitchock, Caroline Rose, Ty Segall, Jenny O, Dr. Dog, Dean & Britta and more over its 62 tracks.

Get clicking.

Meanwhile, Greatest Hits … This Week (Vol. 324) boasts new music from Charlie Hickey, Jess Kallen, Lucius, TREMOURS, Magic Bronson, Deb Never, WARFIELD, Fake Dad, Deep Sea Diver, TOKiMONSTA, Izzy Outerspace, Andy Frasco, Molly Moore, Active Decay, Rocket and more. Plus, the playlist winds up with Dawes’ cover of “I Love L.A.,” as heard on the Grammys, which is also available on Bandcamp.

Note: Anita Wills contributed to today’s roundup.

■ Fake Dad, “Machinery” — “Machinery” is the final single off “Holly Wholesome and the Slut Machine” (out March 7), the new EP from L.A.-via-New York indie-rock duo Fake Dad (Andrea de Varona and Josh Ford). “Machinery” is short and sweet with a quick chugging intro, bright guitar hooks and clever vocal melodies. Catch Fake Dad at the Echo on April 3.

■ Magic Bronson, “Good Dogs” — After sprinkling the landscape with singles such as “We Used to Settle,” “Get ’Em Kid” and “Show My Teeth,” Magic Bronson have released their first album since 2020, “Good Dogs.” It always sounds like there’s party going on when the duo of Michael Nicastro and Matthew Lieberman, are holding forth, but there’s always something sly (see, especially, “Industry Plant”) behind their bass-driven synth rock. There’s no fun like smart fun.

■ Deb Never, “This Alive” — Singer-songwriter Deb Never, aka Deborah Jung, follows up “Not In Love”  with “This Alive,” a bass-driven alt-rock song with effortlessly cool vocals from GIANT Music records. Jung’s debut full-length is slated for release this year.

■ WARFIELD, “All the Fun (Kiss, Kiss, Kiss)” — Singer-songwriter-producer Justin Warfield has stepped out of his role of frontman of She Wants Revenge before (Forever Never Changes and Dream Club, to name-check two), but he calls WARFIELD “the only recording and touring project I’ve helmed outside of SWR.” The frentic, goth/post-punk volley “All the Fun (Kiss, Kiss, Kiss)” is the first single from the EP “Deathrock Devotionals Vol. I,” coming via Black Heathers/Cleopatra Records. Here’s the video.

■ Rocket, “Take Your Aim” — Rocket have been at the top of our Bands to Watch list since 2023, when they showcased their blazing, ’90s-indebted sonics on the mini-album/EP “Versions of You.” Now the quartet — Alithea Tuttle, Baron Rinzler, Cooper Ladomade and Desi Scaglione — have released the EP’s closer, “Take Your Aim,” as a single. The reason? They’ve signed to Transgressive Records/Canvasback, which will reissue the EP and finally release it on vinyl and CD. Behold the new video. Live Saturday at Zebulon as part of the LA Fire Relief Benefit.

■ Jess Kallen, “Jessy” — Pardon us whilst we swoon a little bit over “Jessy,” the latest single from Jess Kallen. The indie-rocker announced this week the Feb. 12 (hey, that’s next week) arrival of a new album, “Don’t Blink!,” the follow-up to 2023’s “Exotherm.”

■ Charlie Hickey, “Feel Nothing” — Singer-songwriter Charlie Hickey will release his sophomore album, the Jonathan Rado-produced “Could’ve Been Anyone,” on March 7. The album’s first single, arrived last September; he dialed it back for the follow-up, “Cash In,” which featured Lennon Stella on harmonies. Now we’ve got “Feel Nothing” to make us feel something.

■ TREMOURS, “Devil Town” — Immersive and at turns haunting and sensual, “Fragments,” the debut album from TREMOURS, arrived today. It’s the work of Lauren Andino and Glenn Fryatt, with assists from guests Peter Holmström (The Dandy Warhols) and Mark van Hoen (The Locust). Oh, it was mastered by Simon Scott of Slowdive, which is a good reference point for TREMOURS’ dream-pop. Float on.

■ Waverly Drive, “Class” — “Class” is the first single from Phil Galloni’s solo project Waverly Drive since last year’s EP, “Push My Luck.” Another EP is on the way in May.

■ Izzy Outerspace, “Riptide” — “Riptide” is the latest slice of propulsive dream-pop from Izzy Outerspace, who, as on the 2024 single “Beautiful Blur,” again collaborates with Jeff Schroeder (ex-Smashing Pumpkins).

■ Lucius, “Gold Rush” — Lucius’ fourth album (out May 2) is a self-titled affair, which is “only fitting,” the band says, as they made it as “the four of us, just as we first started recording together as a band. It’s raw and honest and feels like coming home. … Welcome to our living room.” Live Nov. 21 at the Wiltern.

■ Deep Sea Diver, “Let Me Go” (feat. Madison Cunningham) — Deep Sea Diver, the Seattle quartet fronted by O.C. native Jessica Dobson (who among other exploits has played guitar for the Shins and in Beck’s band), signed to Sub Pop last fall, which something of a milestone. While nobody should have slept on Deep Sea Diver’s first three albums, their fourth, “Billboard Heart,” will be out Feb. 28. L.A. luminary Madison Cunningham guests on the new single “Let Me Go” (video), and the backgrounder here illuminates the album’s creation. Live April 3 at the Teragram Ballroom and April 5 at Pappy & Harriet’s.

■ TOKiMONSTA, “Lucky U” (feat. Gavin Turek) — TOKiMONSTA announced last month that her new album “Eternal Reverie” would be out March 7. If you need a mood elevator — and (checks new feed), who doesn’t? — check out the album’s opener, “Lucky U,” which features disco diva Gavin Turek.

■ Sahara Grim, “Blindfold” — As a follow-up to Hysteria,” Sahara Grim continues her epic exposé of the female psyche with “Blindfold,” off her forthcoming album “Fable,” due Feb. 28. A haunting synthesizer and minimal drum beat creates a tropical yet eerie tone. Grim daunts a dress that makes her well over 7 feet tall in the bizarre sepia music video shot on film here.

■ Andy Frasco & the U.N., “Try Not to Die” — Andy Frasco makes classic rock sound fun again. The hard-touring phenom announced this week “Growing Pains,” the 10th album from Andy Frasco & the U.N., will be out May 23. Here’s the relatable first single, “Try Not to Die.”

■ Molly Moore, “American Girl” — Pop singer Molly Moore unleashes a well-timed banger, “American Girl,” a song about “bodily autonomy and women’s rights.” Turn it up.

■ Viola Hutchinson, “You Always Do” — The powerful single “You Always Do” by indie-pop artist Viola Hutchinson is a song about first heartbreak. The track escalates in tone, starting with somber verses and ends with a chorus in complete uproar. A song like this makes you think twice about breaking the heart of Hutchinson, who just so happens to be a skilled martial artist.

■ Dean Wareham, “That’s the Price of Loving Me” — “That’s the Price of Loving Me” is the title track of the fourth solo album (out March 28) from Dean Wareham (Luna, Galaxie 500, Dean & Britta). The album was made over six days in Eagle Rock, and Mathew-James Wilson’s video is set in Echo Park. RIP Patria Burger.

■ Katrina Weissman, “Big Time” — The follow-up to “Phantom Thumb,” “Big Time” is another twinkling taste of dream-pop from singer-songwriter Katrina Weissman’s debut EP, coming next month.

■ CROONeR, “T as in Tsunami” — Christopher Guanlao (drummer for Silversun Pickups) today released “Catarina,” the new, five-song EP from his solo project CROONeR. Back in December, we shared the EP’s opening ripper, “Kick and Snare;” here’s the wistful closer, “T as in Tsunami.”

■ Koyal, “Hiatus” — Koyal is an indie-rock trio originally from Atlanta. Their newest single, “Hiatus,” is a fun disco tune, featuring a subtle saxophone that works quite well. Koyal’s sophomore album, “Breathe In. Breathe Out,” is due later this month.

■ Mssv, “On and On” — Mssv, which united the talents of Mike Maggetta, Stephen Hodges and Mike Watt, called themselves a “post-genre power trio.” The project’s third album, “On and On,” produced by Chris Schlarb, will be out March 7. Live March 13 at the Sardine, March 14 at the Wayfarer and May 3 at Zebulon.

■ Active Decay, “Next to Me” — Active Decay is singer-songwriter Brooke Prince along with collaborator Wyatt Blair. Next to Me,” released in January on Lolipop Records, is a sultry slice of synth-pop and the third single since the duo’s 2022 debut album.

■ MacGregor Burns, “Put It all On Me” — A follow-up to “Can’t Go Back,” singer-songwriter MacGregor Burns returns with another Luke Temple-produced single called “Put It All On Me,” an avant-garde low-fi song with a looping guitar melody and drum track from his as-yet-untitled 2025 LP.

■ Erika Perry, “Mirror”— Orange County native Erika Perry (aka E.T.) is a veteran of “American Idol” (2021) who stood out for her impressive vocal timbre and anomalous personality. Four years later, Perry is still working hard trying to find her sound with her newly released debut album, “Trust No One.” Perry may have found her strong suit in “Mirror,” a Lana Del Rey-style R&B song where you can hear the strength of vocals is apparent, even in a whisper.

■ American Mile, “Straight From The Heartland” — American Mile is an Americana-rock band fronted by guitarist Eugene Rice. “Straight From The Heartland” is a feel-good keyboard-heavy song about, “following your dreams while never forgetting where you came from, and having that be the catalyst for your persistence,” off their first album in five years, “American Dream”, which drops this June.

■ Dawes, “I Love L.A.” — This playlist fades into the mist with Dawes’ rendition of “I Love L.A.,” which they performed at the Grammys. Proceeds benefit the fire relief efforts mounted by the Recording Academy and Musicares. Drop some dollars on it on Bandcamp.