BUZZ BANDS

Jumping into the singer-songwriter pool

No surprise that the leadoff song of Emma Burgess’ debut album, “Swim,” is called “Big Break.” In the makeover that saw her segue from being the actress Brandi Emma to a singer-songwriter, Burgess got a few breaks.

“It was a combination of charm, tenacity and having Mastin [Kipp, of indie label Love Yourself Records] on my side,” she says. “When I looked at the laundry list of people who helped me make this record, I think, ‘Oh my God.’ ”

“Swim,” which recalls singer-songwriters such as Aimee Mann and Sam Phillips, is notable for not trying too hard. Burgess’ vocals remain largely understated while her players -- including Paul McCartney sideman Rusty Anderson on guitar, Mike Garson (David Bowie) on piano, drummers Josh Freese (Nine Inch Nails) and Joey Waronker (Beck) and cellist Ana Lenchantin (Eels, Gnarls Barkley) -- add texture to her storytelling. Anderson co-produced the album with Ofer Moses.

Kipp first saw Burgess at Room 5 on La Brea while the singer-songwriter was still performing as Brandi Emma. She had landed a few acting roles after moving to L.A. from Massachusetts, but was inspired to pick up the guitar again while recuperating from an accident.

Oh, and there’s a story behind the guitar. On her cross-country move, Burgess’ car broke down in Utah. She couldn’t afford to have it fixed, so a young mechanic kept her guitar as collateral. A month later, the mechanic mailed the guitar back.

“When I tell that story, people say, ‘Oh geez, that’s so poignant,’ ” Burgess says. “I see it as more of a sign that I should write good songs. It showed me there are good people in the world.”

Burgess performs an early set tonight at the Hotel Cafe; the album will be released on iTunes in a couple weeks.

Retrieving their careers

Maybe it’s because they’re not young kids anymore, or maybe it’s that they learned some hard lessons, but the four guys in the CoCo B’s were in no rush to complete their new album.

“We really wanted to do it right this time,” says singer-guitarist Kevin Castillo. “We needed to define a sound for ourselves.”

Castillo and band mates Joe Rivera, Jeff Randall and Bob Penn had knocked around for some five years as Retriever. When they felt that project had played itself out, they took some time off. Then the Orange County quartet returned in earnest, taking a year and half to record the album they are currently shopping.

The band’s new sound is brash pop, with prickly guitars and big choruses; imagine Weezer run through a Veg-O-Matic. “If it sounds fuzzy, maybe it has more to do with my broken Fender twins,” Castillo says with a laugh.

The songs are inspired “by working in a cubicle all day,” he adds. “If you have a good sense of humor, it helps.”

The CoCo B’s perform Sunday night at the Troubadour in support of Dios (Malos) and the Spinto Band.

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Kevin Bronson

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Recommended downloads

*Download “Big Break” by Emma Burgess at www.latimes.com/media/mp3/2007-02/28144239.mp3

*Stream “Modern Lover” by the CoCo B’s at www.myspace.com/cocobs