Stream: Greatest Hits … This Week (Vol. 381)

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Cover image by Carol Gauthier via unsplash.com

Our springtime rush of quality new music continues — here’s Buzz Bands LA’s Greatest Hits … This Week (Vol. 381).

Press play to hear new music from Bedouine, Mehro, Maria Taylor, Thundercat, Ggwendolyn, Los Retros, Tomorrow Tomorrow, Chrissy, Janelane, After Louise, TANGIENTS, Kyle Nicolaides, Hand Habits, Junior Varsity, Club Oro, Deb Never, Dressed, Zachary Baker, MARIS and a bunch more.

Previous Buzz Bands LA playlists, with liner notes, here.

Anita Mills contributed to this roundup.

Tomorrow Tomorrow, “Indelible” — Tomorrow Tomorrow is the solo project of Nico Ludwig-Stock, aka Nico L-S, a UCLA grad who made a left turn from a career in law to immerse herself in music as an audio engineer (including assisting Latin Grammy-winning producer engineer Be Hussey [see next item]), multi-instrumentalist and, eventually, songwriter. Tomorrow Tomorrow debuted in November with a fairly heavenly cover of Wilco’s “Radio Cure.” Now comes the first original, the equally moving “Indelible,” along with the news that her debut album, “Dwelling,” will be out May 29.

TANGIENTS, “The Ether” — TANGIENTS, the shoegazing duo of Chelsea Ray and Be Hussey, are back with their first single since 2019, “The Ether” (video), a shimmering, majestic track that introduces the duo’s debut full-length. That LP, “Embers,” will arrive May 1. “‘The Ether’ is an homage to death and relationships that don’t work out,” Ray says. “Every night we spend here is a night closer to not existing in our physical form: becoming one with the ether. The song is a reminder to live in the now; do the things you want if you’re able; tell the people you love that you feel that way; and to try to be honest, because the truth is key, and will set you free.”

Ggwendolyn, “Jock My Style” — Giana Shabestari was writing songs for pop artists as a teenager, eventually graduating to her solo project WENS before moving on to her latest artist project ggwendolyn. An EP, a mixtape and a handful of singles later, gg (as she is known) is still making irrepressibly auacious songs, and “Jock My Style” is the latest. (The cheeky video finds her trying to win over multiple sets of twins at a Twin Convention.) One wants to name-check the likes of Chappell Roan or Wet Leg here, but on “Jock My Style” ggwendolyn is her own moment, and too bad it only lasts 2 1/2 minutes. Live tonight at Permanent Records Roadhouse.

Junior Varsity, “Radio” — Junior Varsity return to put a little spring in your step. “Radio” is their first single since last summer. And if it’s somehow a ploy to get play on terrestrial radio, it’s gonna work. Live June 6 at Dreamland in Malibu.

Janelane, “OCD” — “OCD” (video), the follow-up to the November single “Layla,” is the latest single from Sophie Negrini’s solo project Janelane, which continues to draw (deserved) comparisons to first-wave shoegaze and dream-pop artists. Live April 22 at Permanent Records Roadhouse.

Windser, “Better Left Unsaid” — It’s been almost a year since Jordan Topf released his debut album as Windser, and now he’s back (“newly an independent artist,” he relays), this week unveiling the new single “Better Left Unsaid.”

Bedouine, “Long Way to Fall” — On June 5, Bedouine (singer-songwriter Azniv Korkejian) will release “Neon Summer Skin,” her fourth full-length and first first album since fall of 2021. It’s a record steeped in nostalgia, she says, and the first single, “Long Way to Fall,” abides that. It’s one of two tracks on the album co-produced with Jonathan Rado; the remainder were recorded with Gus Seyffert, Bedoine’s go-to collaborator on her acclaimed first three albums.

Mehro, “Calling All Angels (432 hz)” — Mehro released their latest album, “Weirdthrob,” last September. “Calling All Angels (432 hz)” — 432 hz refers to the meditative “earth” frequency — is the first single since, a starlight ballad with a big finish. “This song is for anyone who has ever had a prayer go unanswered,” Mehro says. “The melody rose from the ashes of one of the most difficult periods of my life. In this chapter I realized that much of the world’s sorrow is just that, a collection of unanswered prayers. There are two forces: one pulling us down, one raising us up and the one that wins is the one you feed. A voice spoke to me while I wrote this, ‘Dreams come with the cost of being asleep.’”

Maria Taylor, “Powerlines” — Friendly reminder that “Story’s End,” Maria Taylor’s first album in seven years, is out today. “These songs have a personal, yet universal, narrative of loss, surrender, transformation and growth,” Taylor says. “This record is about a divorce; it’s about losing a friend I thought I would have forever; it’s about my love for this life; it’s about my love for my kids; it’s about mistakes and desire, about growing older and stronger; it’s about acceptance. It took me five years to complete ‘Story’s End’ — the longest I’ve ever spent on a single album. The story was still unfolding.”

Chrissy, “Nothing Hurts” — Chrissy, who released her EP “Slight Turn” in September, returns, either benumbed or emboldened, with “Nothing Hurts.” It’s a powerful confessional written and produced with Charley Damski, a multi-instrumentalist who, among other exploits, has worked as a touring musician for Lana Del Rey and Sharon Van Etten.

Common People, “Don’t Fall” — Friendly reminder that “Games,” the debut EP from Common People arrived today. Produced by Cage the Elephant’s Brad Schultz, the EP includes singles such as “Rain” and “Thank You.”

After Louise, “Crybaby” — “Crybaby” is the second single from After Louise, the new solo vehicle for the music of Sofia Carrillo, aka Calica. See also: “Fine.”

Zachary Baker, “Unlikely Cowboy” —  Unlikely, indeed. Today brought the release of “Dark Horse,” the debut solo album by Zachary Baker, the founding member of Avenged Sevenfold who goes by Zacky Vengeance in that band. In his solo guise, Baker is more than a little bit country … and, as it turns out, kick-up-some-dirt fun. See also: “Lighthouse” and the title track.

Hand Habits, “Good Person” — “Good Person,” the latest single from Hand Habits, is half of a split single with Cass McCombs (the 7-inch vinyl is available on upcoming tour dates). McCombs and Hand Habits, each of whom released acclaimed albums last year (the former’s “Interior Live Oak” and the latter’s “Blue Reminder”), will play April 10 at the Lodge Room and April 11 at the Troubadour.

Thundercat, “What Is Left to Say” (feat. The Lemon Twigs) — Today brought the release of “Distracted,” the fifth full-length from Thundercat, a wild ride of cosmic soul and beat-driven time travel. Among his collaborators on the record are producer Greg Kurstin, Tame Impala, Lil Yachty, Flying Lotus, A$AP Rocky, Channel Tres, WILLOW and, on “What Is Left to Say,” the Lemon Twigs, conspiring to make the track sound like a Todd Rundgren fever dream.

Los Retros, “Just Us” — Friendly reminder that Los Retros debut album “Odisea” has dropped via Stones Throw. “Just Us,” the funky jazz fusion track, follows “Joven Pobre y Sabio.” Live at Coachella and April 14 at The Glass House.

Katie Alice Greer, “Perfect Woman Sound Machine” — Led by the singles “Expo ’70” and “Talk to Leslie,” Katie Alice Greer’s album “Perfect Woman Sound Machine, Vol. 1,” is out today. File under: experimental dream-pop/immersive sound collages.

Kyle Nicolaides, “Golden Light” — “I am beginning again,” says Kyle Nicolaides, who led the band Beware of Darkness for over a decade. Nicolaides has been off the music radar for a while — in late 2022, he published the book “Thank God for Depression” (more background here). But guess what: He can still play guitar, and on “Golden Light” it’s 3 1/2 minutes of the warm-and-fuzzies.

KÁRYYN, “End to Knowing You” — The follow-up to “Collapse Phase,” “End to Knowing You” is the latest single from experimental pop artist KÁRYYN new album “Physics Universal Love Language (Pull),” out May 29. This one truly has pull.

NORMANS, “Faust Demonica” — NORMANS (the foreboding post-punk crafted by Matthew Reid, Michael Perry Rudes and Kyle Souza) haven’t softened any since releasing their debut album in 2024. The nocturnal burner “Faust Demonica” is the title track of their sophomore LP, out June 5.

Club Oro, “Wasted Adrenals” — The follow-up to “Bad Vibes Forever,” “Wasted Adrenals” is the latest single from left-field pop outfit Club Oro, who will release their debut album “Fatherless Behavior” this winter. Good vibes here, but with attitude.

Holy Sun Opera House, “Latched On” — The follow-up to “Voice of Gob,” “Latched On” is the latest single from Holy Sun Opera House’s self-titled album, out May 15.

MMOONN, “Change” — MMOONN is the collaboration between composer-producer Nicolas Snyder and vocalist Odeya Nini, who released their first single last fall and will unveil their self-titled album on April 10. Behold the elegant, sound bath-worthy “Change.”

Dressed, “Tangerine” — L.A. quartet Dressed re-introduced themselves in September with “Media Wasteland,” their first release since 2022 and a song notable for its sparking, warm guitars. They’ve followed up with “Fire” and then “Tangerine,” the latest example of their ’70s-leaning sound. Live April 10 at Gold-Diggers, opening for Tangle.

Chloe Star, “Emergency Contact” — Chloe Star is an Indigenous American pop-rock solo artist who spent half her childhood on a reservation. Her new stand-alone single “Emergency Contact” is an alt-pop track co-written with JP Clark. Star says: “The song itself just feels like you’re walking through the clouds with your middle finger to the sky.”

SeeTrees, “Lights Out in the City” — SeeTrees, the rock quintet formed by songwriter Drew Lawrence (The Dales) and drummer-producer Luke Adams, released their debut LP, “Greater Than the Past,” last year. They’re back with the arena-aspiring rocker “Lights Out in the City.”

Haylie Davis, “Horns of Time” — The follow-up to the title track, “Horns of Time” is the latest single from folk-pop siren Haylie Davis’ debut album “Wandering Star,” out June 5.

C.M. Talkington, “Space Invaders” — C.M. Talkington, best known as writer-director of the film “Love and a .45,” dove into his music side six-plus years ago and has released two LPS, “Not Exactly Nashville” and “Texas Radio.” “Space Invaders” is new single, and the video features footage from the past six years as he recovered from colon cancer.

Deb Never, “All The Time” — Deb Never drops “All The Time,” following the title-track of her debut album “Arcade,” out May 8 via Giant Music. “All The Time” performs like a modern alt-bossa nova track. Watch the melancholy music video here.

Chris Wills, “Try It!” — Chris Wills is a solo artist and New Jersey native who once had “L.A. on My Mind.” His new single “Try It!” is a satirical electro-dance song, produced by Steven Colyer. Watch the music video directed by Holychild’s Liz Nistico here.

MARIS, “Missing Me” — Solo artist MARIS releases the stand-alone single “Missing Me,” co-written by Jeremy Hatcher, following “Body Is On Fire.” Watch the music video for the pop track directed by Seth Halter here.

Teo Tala, “She Loved Me So” — Teo Tala is a Filipino-American singer-songwriter with a deft touch for tugging at heartstrings via his tender balladry. In February, he released his debut EP< “Good Grief.” Live April 10 at Molly Malone’s

Austin Gatus, “Love Can Only Take You So Far” — “Love Can Only Take You So Far” is the newest stand-alone single from singer-songwriter and saxophonist Austin Gatus. Gatus says of the piano-driven track, following “Don’t Want To Change”: “It’s a song that explores the inner thoughts of losing someone not to falling out of love, but to destiny and individual growth itself.”

Vibrafonics, “14 Days and 14 Nights” — Vibrafonics, the old-school soul band led by Craig Lund, unleash “14 Days and 14 Nights,” the second single from their debut album, “California Hi-Life,” arriving in mid-May. They introduced themselves in February with “Doing the Best We Can.” Live April 11 at Project Barley at the Redondo Beach Pier and April 12 at the Venice Art Fair.

Bosh Rothman, “Big Me” — In March, singer-songwriter and drummer Bosh Rothman (Living Things, Kills Birds) released the title track of his debut EP, “Joshua.” This week he followed with one of the other tracks — all of which pay tribute to other drummers. “Big Me,” penned by Dave Grohl, appeared on Foo Fighters’ debut album 30-plus years ago. Says Rothman: “Dave Grohl has said this song is about feeling small and seeking validation — something I deeply relate to in the music community, often feeling like an outsider, always looking in and wanting to feel wanted.”

Julian Shah-Tayler, “Station to Station” — File our second cover of this playlist under: Bold moves. Julian Shah-Tayler (The Singularity) mods to the 50th anniversary of David Bowie’s “Station to Station” with his version of the cover song. Not only that, is his guise as the Electric Duke, he’ll perform a full-album play on May 14 at the Tiki Bar in Costa Mesa.