Kevin Bronson on August 22nd, 2025

0

Here’s Greatest Hits … This Week (Vol. 352), which samples from new albums just released by Hand Habits, Bardo, Wargirl, Spaceface, Hunx and His Punx, Foreign Air, Double Wish, Earl Sweatshirt, KRAMON and Winter, as well as including new singles from Joyce Manor, Rocket, Mitch Rowland, Crash Richard, Mini Trees, Automatic, Capital Cities and more. Dive in, wontcha?

Catch up on our recent playlists here.

Note: Anita Wills contributed to today’s roundup.

■ Joyce Manor, “All My Friends Are So Depressed” — “It’s kind of my take on what I imagine Lana Del Rey lyrics are like,” singer-guitarist Barry Johnson says of Joyce Manor’s first new music in three years, “All My Friends Aee So Depressed.” “Instead of icy, detached cool ’50s Americana, it’s all dirty shag carpet, bong rips, ‘Peter Frampton Comes Alive,’ key lime pie and suicidal ideations. My flow was inspired by 100 Gecs who I was listening to a concerning amount in 2023. Musically, we were drawing from The Libertines, Tiger Army, X, and The Smiths … obviously.”

■ Rocket, “Act Like Your Title” — What’s the cliché … the hits keep right on coming? “Act Like Your Title” is the fourth big, beautiful single from L.A. quartet Rocket’s debut album, “R Is for Rocket,” out Oct. 3.  Check out the video. Live Nov. 22 at the Roxy.

■ Wargirl, “Looks Kill, Kiss Kiss” — Long Beach’s Wargirl today released their new album, “Good Things,” their third full-length and another intoxicating romp through their retro funk, garage and punk aesthetic. Live Sept. 6 at Alex’s Bar.

■ Bardo, “Your Day Will Come” (feat. N8NOFACE) — The solo album (out today) from ex-Chicano Batman frontman Bardo is titled “Transformation Time,” and perhaps more than any other track on the album, “Your Day Will Come” puts some teeth in “transformation.” See also: “Funky People” and “Sad Boy.” Live Nov. 14 at the Echo and Nov. 16 at Alex’s Bar.

■ Hunx and His Punx, “Little Richard” — On their first album in 12 years, “Walk Out on This World” (out today), the irrepressible Hunx and His Punx salute the great Little Richard. See also: “Wild Boys” and “No Way Out.” Live Sept. 27 at the Belasco.

■ Hand Habits, “Bluebird of Happiness” — Friendly reminder that “Blue Reminder,” the new album from Hand Habits, arrived today, bearing previously released singles “Wheel of Change,” “Jasmine Blossoms,” “Dead Rat” and other delights. ​”One day my partner asked what birdsong we were hearing through the window and I was like, ​’Well that’s the bluebird of happiness obviously,​’ and it became a joke song I would sing around the house, but then it grew wings​,” Meg Duffy says of the album’s release-week single. “I also got curious about the history of ​the bluebird of happiness,​ and found that it has mythological significance. It’s interesting how a symbol like that functions subconsciously, or in the collective unconscious. Even when we might not know everything about its origins, or when it’s almost become a pop cliche, maybe there’s some essence or a through-line that can remain true. Or the cliché itself can become material to play with. And I think because I can have an aversion to sentimentality in my songwriting, it felt exciting and fun to go there.” Live Saturday at 2220 Arts + Archives.

■ Foreign Air, “The Heist (In the Middle)” — Also out today, “Such that I May Glow” is the new album of footloose indie-pop/indie-rock from the duo of Jesse Clasen and Jacob Michael, dba Foreign Air. Here’s the video for “The Heist.” Live Aug. 26 at the Moroccan Lounge.

■ Double Wish, “Riptide” — Double Wish’s new, self-titled album (out today) shape-shifts through rhythmically engrossing psych-pop, shoegaze and experimental pop, seesawing from light to dark. “Riptide” (video) is exemplary. Of the song, the duo of Adam Sabolick and Philippe Andre say: “‘Riptide’ was inspired by our personal experiences with surfing and time spent in the ocean. How something sublime can be so beautiful and refreshing, but also dangerous and unpredictable. The ocean is a bit of a metaphor here for the challenges of facing uncertainty, and the emotional forces that can pull you down. Surrender, survival and acceptance. Taking risks, getting knocked down, but trying again.” Live Sept. 27 at the Goldfish, along with Supergloom and Famous Friend.

■ Spaceface, “Beach Within Reach” — Spaceface, the psych-pop outfit led by Jake Ingalls (ex-Flaming Lips) and Eric Martin, today unveiled their new album, “Lunar Manor.” “Beach Within Reach” and the satirical blast “Everything Is Money” show the range on the record — feel-good grooves, sprinkled with space dust, and maybe a few other things. Live tonight at the Goldfish.

■ KRAMON, “Crush” — Josh Kramon is an award-winning composer for film and television, and on his debut album “Evolutions” he branches into engaging pop-rock aided by collaborating vocalists including Hunter Hawkins and Meredith Adelaide. Easy to get a crush on “Crush.”

■ Earl Sweatshirt, “Tourmaline” — “Live Laugh Love” is the title of Earl Sweatshirt’s new album, a surprise release this week.

■ Winter, “Sometimes I Think About Death” — Samira Winter describes her new album “Adult Romantix” (out today) as a farewell love letter to L.A., and indeed you can feel the pulse of Echo Park in it. Singles such as “Just Like a Flower” and “Misery” highlight the record, and we can only wish her the best in NYC. Live Oct. 16 at the Echo.

■ Mitch Rowland, “Standard Size Knife” — On Sept. 12, Mitch Rowland will release his new album, “Whistling Pie,” the follow-up to 2023’s “Come June.”

■ Mini Trees, “Hollow” — The follow-up to “Close” and “Spinning,” “Hollow” is the latest dose of warm indie-pop from Lexi Vega’s solo project Mini Trees. She says this of the Jon Joseph-produced track: “A song about wandering into worst-case scenarios and imagining ruining everything because my brain is fun like that.” Live Sept. 5 at Zebulon, along with Charlie Havernick.

■ Crash Richard, “On the Run (Looking Out) — Crash Richard — aka Christopher Richard, of Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros and formerly frontman of the Deadly Syndrome — has announced the Nov. 28 arrival of a new LP, “Sensitive Devil,” recorded with Kosta Galanopoulos (Rio Kosta) in Eagle Rock. Edward Sharpe frontman Alex Ebert directs the video for “On the Run.”

■ Small Shake, “Veruca” — Veruca is the lead track on “Platonics,” the new EP (out today) from Aarin Wright’s solo project Small Shake. See also: “Lucky” and “Still Too Soon.” Live Sept. 8 at Zebulon.

■ Avery Tucker, “Malibu” — “Malibu” is the second single from Avery Tucker’s debut solo album “PAW,”  out October 10. Following “Like I’m Young,” “Malibu” features a pulsing beat that soothes the soul, and a gorgeous country-styled guitar outro. Avery Tucker serenades the camera while taking a ride in the back of a pick up truck in the music video here.

■ Niia, “Throw My Head Out The Window” — Niia, aka Niia Bertino, is a classically trained pianist and vocalist previously from New York. “Throw My Head Out The Window” is the third single from her forthcoming album “V,” dropping Oct. 10 via Candid Records. The alt-jazz track is a celestial whirlwind of piano, vocals, bass, and saxophone, approaching the five-minute mark. Niia says: “”Throw My Head Out the Window” is what happens when you can’t scream but can’t stay still either.” Niia drives with the wind in her hair in the music video here.

■ Capital Cities, “Late for School” — Capital Cities, the synth-pop duo of Ryan Merchant and Sebu Simonian, are working on a new full-length, “Making Up the Rules.”

■ Automatic, “Lazy” — As a follow up to “Mercury,” “Lazy” is the third single from Automatic’s new album “Is It Now?,” out Sept. 26 via Stones Throw and produced by Loren Humphrey. “Lazy” is an alt-pop anti-love song: The thing you thought you wanted / Was just the image of control.” Automatic plays Oct. 11 at The Novo.

■ Buckets, “Naked” — Indie punk group Buckets follow “Slipping” with “Naked,” their second single of the year. The band says: “‘Naked’ is more raw and explosive than our earlier discography — and if nothing else, definitely a bit darker. We’re finally entering our heavy era. It’s a song about intimacy, vulnerability, and how the two tend to coincide. While the lyrics seem to come off awfully bleak, the song is more of an anthem about overcoming demons and screaming into the void about what it is you truly need while your defenses are down.” Buckets play Happy Sunday Fest this Sunday at The Bamboo Club in Long Beach.

■ Don’t Say Bye, “Tears for You” — The raucous “Tears for You” is the first single from the indie-rock outfit Don’t Say Bye (Max Carr, Zephyr Brumund, Jaein Song, Josue Hernandez and Carter Nelson. Turn this one up.

■ Ryan Reidy, “Dr. Felix And His Fringe Body Parts” — Ryan Reidy is a guitarist and songwriter hailing from Indiana’s underground music scene. Now based in L.A., Reidy brings to the table, “Dr. Felix And His Fringe Body Parts,” off his new LP “Fringe Body Parts,” out Nov. 7 via Money Pyre Records. Reidy says: “Lyrically, it wrestles with themes of the human animal in civilized society and ponders if our bodies are in crisis.”

■ La Raca Flaca, “Nostalgia” — La Raca Flaca is the solo project of New Jersey native and dark-pop artist Rachel Scutti. “Nostalgia” is her fourth single of 2025.

■ Rosy Nolan, “Rising Up” — Fiddle and mandolin go at it in Rosy Nolan’s new single, “Rising Up,” and fans of old-time bluegrass and gothic country win. The song, which introduces Nolan’s album “Main Attraction” (out Oct. 17), was written during the 2016 election. “I was sitting in a Los Angeles café when a torrential rainstorm came down,” Nolan recalls. “Nick Cave was playing on the radio, and it sounded like his voice was dripping down the walls. The 2016 election was underway, and it was clear Trump was going to win. I was donating money, phone banking, going to protests and rallies. I was really caught up in it all. The kind of rain we got was so uncommon that people were worried the L.A. River might flood. Folks were sandbagging their homes. I felt overwhelmed by this deluge — both the rainfall and the political adversity — and silenced by the storm and the tense political climate.” Live Oct. 16 at Pappy & Harriet’s.

■ Zack King, “We’re Alright” — Zack King is an indie-pop artist and mental health advocate originally from Minnesota. King has dedicated a section on his website to suicide prevention, featuring mental health resources and a support group. His newest stand alone single “We’re Alright” is an inspirational post-punk song about holding on to hope during dark times: “He’s got this fire in his heart / and he’s all right.” Check out Zack play to a packed house in the music video here.

■ Katzù Oso, “Amantes” — Singer-songwriter Katzù Oso follows “A Woman Like You” with “Amantes” from his new album “La Conexión” to be released Oct. 7 via Cosmica Artists. “Amantes” is a lovely cumbia song featuring flamenco guitar and yearning vocals.

■ Maple Mars, “Tidal Wave” — L.A. power-pop vets Maple Mars celebrate their 25th anniversary with the release of two singles, “Tidal Wave” and “Couldn’t Have Been a Better Time.”

■ Pino Palladino & Blake Mills, “Taka” (feat. Chris Dave) — We’ll wrap this week’s playlist with this: “That Wasn’t a Dream” (out today) is the second collaborative album from the celebrated duo of Pino Palladino and Blake Mills. File under: Instrumental music rooted in jazz, funk and the most pleasant of waking dreams. Drummer Chris Dave plays on “Taka,” and here’s the video. Live Sept. 26 at the Ford.