Kevin Bronson on April 25th, 2025

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This week’s behemoth of a playlist, Greatest Hits … This Week (Vol. 335), reps artists who just released new albums and just announced new albums, along with a whole lot of shoegaze (and shoegaze-adjacent) and indie-pop music. So dig in for new jams from Haim, Jensen McRae, Ramonda Hammer, Bad Suns, Kelcey Ayer, BEL, Bitter:Sweet, Dream Ivory, Jawdropped, The Holy Knives, Jesika Von Rabbit, Sharpie Smile, Paul Givant, Silas Short, Sea Pipes, Natalie Bergman, Freedom Fry, Gelli Haha and a whole lot more.

Find all of our playlists, and the notes we scribble with them, here.

Anita Mills contributed to today’s roundup.

■ Haim, “Down to Be Wrong” — Sister trio Haim this week announced that their fourth album, “I Quit,” will be out June 20. “Down to Be Wrong” (video) is the third single, a rather Sheryl Crow-esque one at that, following “Relationships” and “Everybody’s Trying to Figure Me Out.”

■ Jensen McRae, “Let Me Be Wrong” — Friendly reminder that “I Don’t Know How But They Found Me!,” the sophomore album from Valley native Jensen McRae,” is out today. It’s home to singles such as “Massachusetts,” “Savannah” and “Praying for Your Downfall.” Live May 28 and May 29 at the El Rey Theatre.

■ Bitter:Sweet, “Ecoute Ma Voix” — Friendly reminder that Bitter:Sweet — resurfacing after a decade and a half and now the solo project of singer-songwriter Shana Halligan — today released the new album “Baby Is Back,” featuring the intoxicating title track and the inspirational second single, “Rise.” “Ecoute Ma Voix” is another movie-ready track; it translates to “listen to my voice.”

■ Bad Suns, “Slow Karma” —  Bad Suns have announced their fifth full-length, “Accelerator,” out on Aug. 8 via Epitaph Records. A follow-up to “Communicating,” “Slow Karma” is pop-rock tune reminiscent of their most popular track “Cardiac Arrest.”

■ BEL, “Fresh Start” — Isabel Whelan, dba BEL, won our hearts in 2023 with “Forget Everything.” Now the Clovis native has returned with a new single, “Fresh Start,” and the news that she’s signed with Nettwerk. “I wrote it when I was moving out of the apartment I had been living in for three years. I had so many memories attached to it, and I lived within five minutes of my best friends,” she says of the new song. “I was really emotional about it, but my friends knew just how to cheer me up and show me the bright side of it. It’s a song of gratitude for the deep friendships in my life and acknowledging that change can be both painful and beautiful.”

■ The Holy Knives, “F1 Track” — The Holy Knives’ latest EP, “Don’t Wanna Win” (made with producer Jamie Hince of the Kills), came out back in December and now the duo of Kyle and Kody Valentine return with “F1 Track.” Live May 1 at the Goldfish, with Child Seat.

■ Ramonda Hammer, “Eyelash” — Heavy-hitting Ramonda Hammer return with their first single since (checks calendar) autumn 2021. “Eyelash” — “a heavy heartbreak anthem for anyone who’s ever walked on eggshells too long,” the band says — finds Devin Davis, Justin Geter and Andy Hengl muscling up for a slab of the ’90s-style alt-rock they’ve been doing since they released their debut album in 2016. Live June 20 at Gold-Diggers, with the Dumes and Fime.

■ Monk, “Ride the Wave” — Speaking of heavy, L.A. hardcore quartet Monk today released their sophomore EP, “Dark Side of the Mind.” The title track, released back in February, served as a nice wake-up call; “Ride the Wave” is indicative of why they call themselves “zen hardcore.” Watch the video here. Live April 26 at the Redwood and April 28 at the Wayfarer, with Dinerboy.

■ Dream, Ivory, “Solar Eclipse” — Brother duo Dream, Ivory (Christian and Louie Baello) have announced the July 18 arrival of their new album “When You Come Back I Have So Much To Tell You.” Like previous singles “Los Angeles” and “At Zero,” the song sees the onetime Soundcloud rapping siblings fully embracing the atmospheric ways of shoegaze.

■ Osnova, “Verity” — Having released “Climbing Dues” in January, L.A. trio Osnova return with more sky-high shoegaze in “Verity.”

■ Supergloom, “Kingfisher” — Did we mention this week had a healthy dose of new shoegaze? Headed by Shane Graham and Drew Aron, Supergloom is soaring toward the release of their full-length debut.

■ Jawdropped, “Outside” — While we’re in the mood, here’s “Outside,” from alt-rock quartet Jawdropped, who today dropped their first EP, “Just Fantasy.” A very likeable and noisy five songs, it is. Live May 2 at Zebulon.

■ Pleasure Pill, My Way to You” — The arena-sized (and distinctly Brit-rock) guitars on “My Way to You” come courtesy of San Diego five-piece Pleasure Pill, who will release their debut album, “Hang a Star,” on June 27. (See also: “Line Up the Stars.”) Live tonight at Permanent Records Roadhouse.

■ The Two Seasons, “Simulator” — Jangling to L.A. all the way from Chicago, the Two Seasons are Cory Clifford, Jeremy Nelson, Alex Buchanan and Greg Niemi. (They’re named after a joke Midwesterners will feel: What are the two seasons in Chicago? Winter and construction.) “Simulator” is jaunty and swaggering, a bit reminiscent of guitar-forward bands like Orange Juice and the Delgados. Live May 4 at the Escondite.

■ Jesika Von Rabbit, “Wacko” — Jesika Von Rabbit, the High Desert’s high priestess of maverick electro-pop, will release a new album, “Bunnywood Babylon,” on June 13. Co-produced with (former Gram Rabbit bandmate and producer) Ethan Allen, “it’s about self-deprecation, love, loss, finger-pointing and wordplay fed through a funnel of Americana, psychedelia, atmospheric electronic futuristic pop rock ’n’ roll.” That’s a mouthful, and so is the new single “Wacko,” the follow-up to left-field bangers such as “Dog at a Human Party,” “Hooray for Hollywood” and “Gotta Keep My Buzz Going.” Of course there’s a wacko video for “Wacko.”

■ Madame Gandhi, “Let Me Be Water” (feat. Nature) — Released on Earth Day, “Let Me Be Water” is the title track of Madame Gandhi’s new album, arriving May 16. The track commingles spoken-word lyrics and chanted vocals over samples of melting glaciers.

■ Kelcey Ayer, “Ghosts of Neighborhood Dogs” (feat. Jordana) — The follow-up to “Different Planets,” “Ghosts of Neighborhood Dogs” marks the third solo single from Kelcey Ayer (ex-Local Natives). Jordana appears on the track — she’s one of several collaborators, including Young Jesus, Steady Holiday and Alejandro Aranda, who appear on Ayer’s EP, “No Sleep,” out July 18.

■ Spill Tab, “Hold Me” —”Hold Me” is the final single (following “Assis.“) off Spill Tab’s debut album “Angie,”  (out May 16). Claire Chicha says of the delicate  track: “‘Hold Me’ was one of those special songs that poured out the day it was written.” Watch the lovely music video here, especially if you are in need of a good hug. Spill Tab plays June 17 at El Cid. 

■ Sea Pipes, “Miss Your Audio” — Fresh-faced guitar trio Sea Pipes, who last fall released their debut EP “The Right Through,” return with their second rocker of 2025.

■ Gelli Haha, “Funny Music” — Playful pop artist Geli Haha experiments with spoken word and modulation in her new single “Funny Music,” a follow-up to “Bounce House,”  from her debut album “Switcheroo, ” produced by Sean Guerin (De Lux) via Innovative Leisure, out June 27.

■ The Only Ocean, “Shoot My Night for Day” — The first single since last summer from the Obnly Ocean, “Shot My Night for Day” is a pulse-quickening alt-rocker.  

■ Bad Snacks, “Howling” — Boston-bred songwriter-violinist-producer Jesse Hanson bends conventions with her experimental hip-hop, jazz and electronica. Her new instrumental “Howling” is a way-way-after-dark dancefloor jam.

■ Coffin Prick, “Shortly Forgotten Pleasure” — Ryan Weinstein, aka experimental artist Coffin Prick, shares his new single, “Shortly Forgotten Pleasure,” a follow-up to the title track  from the new album, “Loose Enchantment,” out May 16 via Temporal Drift. Weinstein says: “Have you ever wondered why you do what you do, when you’re doing it? How much does that memory cost you?” Coffin Prick performs May 16 at 2220 Arts + Archives.

■ Sharpie Smile, “Slide” — Sharpie Smile is Dylan Hadley and Cole Berliner (of Kamikaze Palm Tree), creators of left-field pop full of production flourishes and contrivances. Their album, “The Staircase,” will be out June 27 via Drag City. “Slide” is the follow-up to the immersive first single “Love or Worship.” Live June 30 at Zebulon and Aug. 22 at the Teragram Ballroom.

■ Paul Givant, “Marigold” — “Marigold” the title track of the solo album by Rose’s Pawn Shop frontman Paul Givant, released today. Fans of bright, ’70s-vintage folk-rock propelled by acoustic guitars, mandolin and upright bass tunes acoustic title track will find this big-hearted album full of mood-elevating harmonies and melodies.

■ Natalie Bergman, “Gunslinger” — Natalie Bergman leaves retro-gospel behind for an on-the-nose 1960s sound in her new lead single “Gunslinger,” which would fit perfectly on any Nancy Sinatra album. Bergman’s sophomore album, “My Home Is Not In This World,” drops July 18 via Third Man Records. Watch Bergman’s groovy dance moves in the music video here.

■ David Franklin Courtright, “Feels” (feat. Julianna Barwick) — David Franklin Courtright, a North Carolina-born singer-songwriter, marks a new chapter in his career with “Feels,” the debut single under his own name. Previously known for his work under the name Suno Deko, which took him on tour with notable acts like Angel Olsen, Courtright brings an emotionally charged sound to “Feels.” Courtright says, “This is one of those songs that hardly feels like a song—just two chords, but it developed and became a real favorite.” The track features vocals by Julianna Barwick. You can watch Courtright dance on top of a mountain in the gorgeous music video here.

■ Rosie Darling, “It Is What It Is” — L.A.-based Boston native Rosie Darling today released a new EP, “Roomful of People.” “It Is What It Is” is representative of the six-song collection’s alluring confessional indie-pop.

■ Freedom Fry, “Lost and Found” — Franco-American indie-pop duo Freedom Fry (Bruce Driscoll and Marie Seyrat) returned last week with a new EP, “Lost and Found.” As we say with just about their whole catalog, enchanté.

■ Avery Lynch, “Dead to Me” — Have we mentioned the prevalence of alluring confessional indie-pop? Avery lynch is an L.A.-based native of Pennsylvania who today released a new single, “Dead to Me.” It arrived this music video by Gus Black.

■ Silas Short, “Lushland” — “Lushland” is the new album, out today via Stones Throw, from L.A.-based Midwesterner Silas Short. Like singles such as “Guy,” the title track oozes emotion while keeping the vibe cozy.

■ Magenta Moon, “Pick Up” — “Pick Up,” a standalone single from indie-rock duo Magenta Moon (Elaina Whitesell and Joseph Petrarca), is a fun dance track about emotional longing and hope in a long-distance relationship.

■ Ryan Lerman, “Self Defenese” — “Self Defense” is the title track from Ryan Lerman’s newest solo album, out July 25. Lerman says about the follow-up to “Missing Girl” : “I’ve learned a few things, I have something to say, and I’m figuring out how to stand up for myself.”

■ Lisa Crawley, “Call It a Night” — New Zealand native Lisa Crawley made her EP “New Girl Syndrome” (out today) with producer/multi-instrumentalist John Spiker (Tenacious D). Straddling indie-pop and Americana, the EP features a host of guest players bringing home her sharp storytelling.