Stream: Greatest Hits … This Week (Vol. 365)

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Cover image by Robert Clark via unsplash.com

Has it stopped raining yet? Not if you’re talking about new music releases.

Greatest Hits … This Week (Vol. 365) feature fresh songs from Girlfriend Wife, Lindsey Troy, Valley Queen, Lucy Clearwater, Alain Whyte, Rain Gregorio, Blondfire, The Hellp, Izzy Outerspace, Miya Folick, Eliza Noxon, Dakota Dry, Club Oro, Irontom, Drugdealer, The Neighbourhood and a slew of others. Stay for the Evangeline cover at the end.

Immerse thyself in our playlists here, where they appear with hastily penned liner notes.

Note: Anita Mills contributed to this roundup.

Lindsey Troy, “I’ve Seen the Willow Trees” — With the disbanding of Deap Vally, the duo she co-founded 14 years ago with Julie Edwards, Lindsey Troy has embarked on a solo career, this week issuing the positively efflorescent single “I’ve Seen the Willow Trees” (watch the video). It’s quite a turn from the hard-hitting Deap Vally aesthetic, but it’s not like she hasn’t been there before. She performed as a singer-songwriter around SoCal prior to Deap Vally, and before that, as teenagers, she and her sister Anna helmed the pop-rock band the Troys, who were signed to Elektra. (And, boy, were we ever surprised to find the never-released 2003 Troys album, “Massaging Your Ego,” floating around the internet. Spoiler: It does not suck.)

Rain Gregorio, “Dry Shampoo” — Today brought the release of Rain Gregorio’s new EP, “Do Your Business,” a four-song, all-killer/no-filler affair produced by Jon Joseph. It leads with the rocker “Dry Shampoo” and includes a track with a title straight out of Jeopardy’s “Before and After” category (albeit one that’s been done before, right Brian Jonestown Massacre?), “Nora Jonestown Massacre.” Don’t sleep on the EP highlight, “Love the Gaze.”

Girlfriend Wife, “Fly Away” — Now for some blissful shoegaze: Girlfriend Wife is the duo of singer-songwriter Kacy Hill (who once was signed to Kanye West’s label and was a vocalist on Travis Scott’s “90210”) and L.A. native Tessa DeNicola (who released a handful of solo singles in 2023 and has also accumulated some screen credits). Zach Michel and Greg Varteresian of Junior Varsity are credited as co-writers on the duo’s debut single, “Fly Away.”

Alain Whyte, “Live for Tomorrow” — Today brought the release of Alain Whyte’s full-length, “Baby I’m Strange.” A whopping (and rocking) 18 tracks, the album includes recent singles such as the ace title track and “Social Media,” along with selections from recent EPs. As you’d expect from a guy who was a longtime co-writer for Morrissey and member of Moz’s band, Whyte knows what he’s about.

Blondfire, “Do It Again” — It’s been a while since Erica Driscoll, aka Blondfire, has infiltrated our beings with some pop finery. “Do It Again,” a tome to the allure of chasing love, is her first original in a year and more evidence that pop songs can be great without a lot of frippery.

The Hellp, “Here I Am” — The Hellp’s dirty electro music is the work of musician-photographer-videographer-documentarian Noah Dillon and producer-drummer-model Chandler Lucy. Today, they released their new album, “Riviera,” which harks to the “indie sleaze” era (whether they like it or not) and, whatever they think, is pretty irresistible overall. There’s a recurring L.A. obsession, because … “Here I Am.” “From LA to LA / La-la-la,” vocalist Maggie Cnossen deadpans in the chorus, and we get that.

Izzy Outerspace, “Closer” — Izzy Outerspace, who released her EP “Dreamstate” back in the spring, goes extra-large on the follow-up single, “Closer,” an alt-rock ripper that will appear on her full-length “A Romance Truly Tried” (release date TBA).

Very Nice Person, “Underwater” — Malibu brother duo Very Nice Person (Davis and Skyler Diamond) have announced that their new album, “Don’t Worry,” will be out Jan. 30. “Underwater” (watch the video) is the follow-up to last month’s single “Trampoline.”

Eliza Noxon, “You” — Eliza Noxon is a singer-songwriter who found success at age 12 when her music appeared on Netflix’s “Orange is the New Black.” Her debut album, “Good Monsters With Bad Habits,” drops Feb. 27. “You” is an alt-folk track about the loss of her brother at a young age. Noxon says: “In writing this song, I found a way to scream and kick and channel all the rage and fear and loss that I felt into something I could use to connect with people. I think the song really came alive in the studio, with the addition of Jake Reed’s gorgeous, driving drums, and Pierre de Reeder’s masterful production.”

Midnight Cities, “The Further We Go” — Midnight Cities, the post-punk-inspired rock outfit helmed by songwriter/visual artist Simon Cardoza, hasn’t released anything since their sole LP, “Shake My Heart” — and that came out in the throes of the pandemic, the fall of 2020. They return today with the rocker “The Further We Go” (here’s the video), a song that was recorded during the “Shake My Heart” sessions. The foursome have new music planned for release next year.

Miya Folick, “Maybe When I’m Ready” — Miya Folick will release a deluxe version of her album “Erotica Veronica” on Jan. 2, and “Maybe When I’m Ready,” co-written with Alex Casnoff, is on it.

Drugdealer, “The News” — In May, the Drugdealer/Weyes Blood collaborative single “Real Thing” was released. Now we get the flip side, the Drugdealer single “The News.” And we mean “flip side” literally, as the two songs will be released on a 7-inch via Mexican Summer on Dec. 12.

Valley Queen, “Curls” — Valley Queen returns with “Curls,” featuring Natalie Carol’s celestial vocals and lyrical imagery, some nifty guitar work from Dylan Rodrigue and pedal steel from Conner Gallaher.

Tutafarel, “Pineapple Diesel” — Brazilian-born solo artist Tutafarel, aka Raphael Rosalen ,debut album “Monte Casanova” drops Dec. 5. Rosalen says of his latest single “Pineapple Diesel” via Big Takeover: “It’s that after-the-club track: flirty, fierce, smooth, but laid-back. It’s what you play with the windows down on the way to the afters, when the city lights blur and you’re just in it.” Watch the music video filled with strobe lights here.

The Neighbourhood, “Leather Weather” — Yes, not “Sweater Weather.” This track appears on the 10th anniversary edition of “Wiped Out!”

Club Oro, “Don’t Turn Off the Camera” — “Don’t Turn Off the Camera” is the first release in two years from Club Oro, the left-field pop/R&B experimental project helmed by siblings Cassandra and Connor Cronin. Their album, “Fatherless Behavior,” is planned for a winter 2026 release.

Irontom, “AM PM” — Hard-rocking quartet Irontom haven’t been exactly prolific recently, touring warriors that they are. So “AM PM” is their first single in a year and half. Just don’t tell me it was written for the convenience store chain.

IAMEVE, “Atomic” — “Atomic” is the newest single by IAMEVE (Tiff Randol) off her upcoming album “Legacy” dropping Jan. 30, following “Desire.” Randol says: “There comes a moment in many relationships when love hits a tipping point. when the reflections we mirror back to each other become overwhelming, like a flood, and it’s hard to know if it will destroy us or evolve us. Facing that ending is terrifying — the loss of control, of the familiar, shakes everything. That’s what “Atomic” is about.” IAMEVE serenades us in the music video here.

Pyrenees Love Triangle, “Jellybean Lover” — Pyrenees Love Triangle is the psychedelic electronica solo project of Send Medicine frontman Julian Hacquebard. “Jellybean Lover” gives 1960s vibes with a modern electronic twist.

Lucy Clearwater, “Almost” — The gently rolling single “Almost” is the latest from Lucy Clearwater’s forthcoming album “People ≠ Possessions,” produced by Tyler Chester and out May 14. (See also: “Hold on Me.”) Live Feb. 19 at Pappy & Harriet’s and Feb. 20 at the Peppermint Club, both opening for Joe Pug.

Winter Andrews, “Wildfires” — “Wildfires” is the lead on track on musician-actor Winter Andrews’ debut EP, “Til the Moon Fades Away,” out today.

Dakota Dry, “Why Can’t You Free Me” — Today brought the release of Dakota Dry’s debut album, “The Edge of Our Never Ending Universe,” an intimate collection of orchestrated folk songs dissecting the travails of early adulthood and finding catharsis in their lessons.

Benji Knight, “Arizona Snowstorm” —— Out via L.A.’s Curation Records, “Arizona Snowstorm” is the debut solo release from Benji Knight, a founding member of bands such as Fighter Jet, Beachwood Sparks and the Tyde.

Irene Diaz and Chola Orange, “Quicksand” — Souldies singer Irene Diaz joins Chola Orange (Kris Castro, Art Avila, Will Saavedra, Greg Nelson, Noah Arroyo), a psychedelic-funk band from La Puente, on the stand-alone single “Quicksand,” a groovy and sensual funk song. The band says: “‘Quicksand’ is about not wanting to let go of something that was never there to begin with, you want to believe so badly that you’ll be willing to look, act, and feel like a sucker just to be close to something you think can come true.” (See also: Chola Orange’s LP, “Chola Warriors,” released in August.)

Rose’s Pawn Shop, “Where the Horizon Has a Light” — The follow-up to “Summer’s Over” and “Darken My Door,” “Where the Horizon Has a Light” is the latest single from folk-rock quintet Rose’s Pawn Shop’s new album, “American Seams,” out in February.

Haylie Davis, “Country Boy” — Haylie Davis is a folk artist releasing music for Fire Records. Recorded in one take, “Country Boy,” an Americana ballad, is the second single from her unnamed debut album slated for release in 2026. Davis sings: “Hold your words up like a gun / But they can’t take back what you’ve done / No they can’t take back what you’ve done.” Watch Haylie and her country boy stay gold a la “The Outsiders” in the music video here.

Blooming Fire, “Waterfalls” — Also out today, “Ripple Effect” is the debut full-length from L.A. rock/funk/hip-hop fusionists Blooming Fire, and the sax on “Waterfalls” is worth a splash.

Evangeline, “Bless the Telephone” — Our playlist-ending cover this week comes via Evangeline (fka Eva B Ross), who released the EP “When Demigods Go …” last year and has followed up with singles such as “Rooting for You.” Now she takes on “Bless the Telephone,” a 1971 single from British singer-songwriter and poet Labi Siffre. This is Oh. So. Nice.