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As we steam toward the end of 2024, this week was a bit slower for new releases. But Greatest Hits … This Week (Vol. 315) has local gold, starting with the Rae Isla’s new single “What’s in the Water,” the theme from the first episode of a docuseries, “Scene: Silver Lake.”
Besides that, we have new music from Clara-Nova, Cole Maxwell, Blondfire, Possible Oceans, Brenda Carsey, The Holy Knives, Holden Miller, Shawn Morones, Lia Juno, Marcus Buser, Half•Alive, Blondestandard and more … plus a great cover by Spare Parts for Broken Hearts.
Catch up with past playlists here.
Note: Anita Wills contributed to today’s roundup.
■ Rae Isla, “What’s in the Water” (Theme from “Scene: Silver Lake”) — The first installment of a docuseries exploring neighborhoods that nurtured culture and creatives is titled “SCENE: Silver Lake” (trailer here, narrated featuring a familiar face or five). Singer-songwriter Rae Isla penned the theme song, “What’s in the Water,” and the track was produced by Grammy-winning Tom Biller, who was a stalwart in several Silver Lake bands before becoming a go-to producer and engineer.
■ The Holy Knives, “Killer” — “I Don’t Wanna Win,” the swaggering new EP from the Holy Knives, is out Dec. 13. Brothers Kody and Kyle Valentine worked with producer Jamie Hince (of the Kills) on the EP, and “Killer” (see video) is the follow-up single to the September release “Damned.” Says Kody: “’I Don’t Wanna Win’ represents a response to a feeling that the world around us, and human nature itself by extension, forces us sometimes to act in combative and self-serving ways even when we don’t want to. It’s about a desire to remove ourselves from the constant cycle of winners and losers, the constant pressure to vie for our own space or be run over or left behind.”
■ Blondfire, “A Million Miles” — Anotehr single, another ray of sunshine from Erica Driscoll, dba Blondfire, whose third release of 2024 (following “Dirty Fingers” and “Foolish”) shows the songwriter’s penchant for tapping into ’80s and ’90s euphoria. “A Million Miles” is the pick-me-upper we need right now. Says Driscoll: “[It’s] based on that crazy feeling, that feeling you have when you’re in love. Anything’s possible …”
■ Cole Maxwell, “New Love Red” — Everything about Cole Maxwell and his single “New Love Red” screams 1960s teen idol. The Utah native has been working with producer Nic Jodoin (BRMC, Curtis Harding, the Coathangers, Gold Star, among others) at Valentine Recording Studios, and “New Love Red” is the kind of retro romp that, back in the day, would’ve had us dropping some coins in one of these things.
■ Clara-Nova, “I Could Die Trying” — “If you need a soft place to land,” Sydney Wayser wrote on social media this week, noting current events, “maybe this record will be that place for you.” That record is titled “Find a Window,” her first full-length under the name Clara-Nova (in the distant past, there are fine records released under her given name, too). Wayser’s sophisti-pop is indeed a comfort, grounded in reality but imbued with hope. Dan Molad and Pete Harper contributed their production and writing talents to the record. The cinematic ballad “I Could Die Trying” is the opener; it’s one of three songs Wayser co-wrote with her husband, John Isaac Watters.
■ Lia Juno, “Sight” — Bay Area-bred, L.A.-based Leah Woodcox debuted her solo project Lia Juno this past spring, releasing a four-song EP (highlighted by the single “Fevering”) packed with emotion and the soft/loud dynamics employed by artists such as Blondshell. Her latest single “Sight,” produced by True Murra (Boy Deluxe), is a slow burner that ignites around the 2-minute mark.
■ Half•Alive, “Songs” (feat. Jordana) As a follow-up to “Automatic,” dance-pop group Half•Alive recruit singer-songwriter Jordana to create “Songs,” a beautiful jazzy ballad about the importance of sharing positive energy with friends. You can watch the heartwarming music video here. Half•Alive’s third album Persona drops Nov. 15.
■ Flying Lotus, “Let Me Cook” (feat. Dawn Richard) — Flying Lotus’ new EP “Spirit Box” boasts all manner of somic intoxicants, and he finds a perfect recipe with Dawn Richard on the track “Let Me Cook.”
■ Brenda Carsey, “Soul Shine” — On her first release since last year’s album “Cognizance,” Brenda Carsey injects her enchanting pop-soul with a little hip-hop flavor. Live Nov. 11 at Monday Monday at the Hotel Café.
■ Shawn Morones, “Colors” (feat. Robert DeLong & Valley Queen) — Former Valley Queen guitarist Shawn Morones today released a new full-length, “The Mauve Zone.” He teams with electro alchemist Robert DeLong and Valley Queen siren Natalie Carol on “Colors.” Come for “The Mauve Zone’s” experimentation and gorgeous ambient moments, stay for Morones’ version of Neil Young’s “After the Gold Rush.”
■ Blondestandard, “Not the Only One” — The follow-up to “Arms of Another,” “Not the Only One” is the latest single from songwriter Caroline Grace Vein, aka Blondestanrd. “It’s about the frustration of being used — especially when you’re someone who leads with kindness and openness — only to realize too late that not everyone has your best interests at heart,” she says. “The song isn’t just about the pain; it’s about acknowledging that pain, finding closure, and using it to grow.”
■ Possible Oceans, “Big Wave” — The aptly named “Big Wave” — steeped in a drama that’ll crash on your shores — is the title track of Trevor O’Neill’s second EP of 2024. See also “Walls Come Down.”
■ Junior Varsity, “Give My Heart” — Not quite as elastic (or electric) as “Cross the Street,” the brisk pop-rocker “Give My Heart” heralds today’s arrival of the new Junior Varsity EP, “My Star.”
■ The Paper Cutouts, “Bite” — The Paper Cutouts, an indie-rock duo from Pomona, unleash “Bite,” a high-energy rock song with a retro vibe. “Bite” is featured on their latest three-song EP, “Freakshow,” out now.
■ Tender Misfit, “Do You Hate Me?” — Here’s the title track to Ariel Beesley’s new seven-track Tender Misfit EP, “Do You Hate Me?” Fans of audacious pop and pop-punk, take note.
■ Marcus Buser, “Spellbound” — As bassist for many an indie artist, a songwriter and a producer, Marcus Buser has a deep bag of tricks. He debuted his solo work in 2021 and showed on his first album “Leo Carillo & Other Stories” that he’s beholden to no genre. Surf-rock, ’80s-styled pop, smooth jazz, blue-eyed soul — you’ll find even more of it on his sophomore album, “Where or When,” released in late October.
■ Wallice, “I Want You Yesterday” — We’re a week away from the release of Wallice’s debut album, “The Jester.” “I Want You Yesterday” is the fifth single, following up sharp releases such as “Deadbeat” and “Gut Punch Love.” Live Feb. 21 at the Teragram Ballroom.
■ Holden Miller, “Beekeeper” — The follow-up to “Eaten By Flowers,” “Beekeeper” is an avant-garde song that explores the stinging drawbacks of being head over heels, “She made me a believer / The honey’s so much sweeter / Drinking straight out of the hive.” “Holden Miller v. The State Of California” drops Nov. 15.
■ Idkraeven,”Bleed Out” — Dark emo-pop artist Idkraeven (Raeven Khan) drew inspiration from a childhood riddled with trauma for her debut album, “Netherwater,” out today. The song “Bleed Out” combines acoustic and electric instrumentals, crafting a sorrowful tone that complements Khan’s tormented vocals, “Take a hard look at yourself / You think you did your job well? / You made a monster outta me / ‘fore I could be something else.”
■ Spare Parts for Broken Hearts, “All I Need” — The first release in four years from Spare Parts for Broken Hearts and is a cover of Radiohead’s aching “All I Need,” from the 2007 album “In Rainbows.” Catch them Nov. 16 at Permanent Records Roadhouse on a loaded bill with Cuffed Up and Tiny Stills.
