90+ albums to look forward to in 2015

Is it too early to call it? Sleater-Kinney's latest may be 2015's best.
Is it too early to call it? Sleater-Kinney’s latest may be 2015’s best.

Don’t call it a comeback. It’s just worth acknowledging that years have passed since the forecast for upcoming releases has been this bright. Here’s hoping it doesn’t amount to an audio equivalent of the anticipation and subsequent let down one might experience on New Year’s Eve. Giorgio Moroder (who really made Daft Punk’s latest album a worthwhile listen), The Juliana Hatfield Three, and Sleater-Kinney are just a few of the sorely-missed acts making triumphant, long-awaited returns in 2015.

This list may have grown by twenty additional albums compared to last year, but that doesn’t mean every last major release was included. Sorry to inform you, in advance, that you won’t find the likes of Papa Roach, Marilyn Manson, Fall Out Boy, Fergie Ferg, or Canada’s *pride*/current Calvin Klein cover boy, Justin Bieber listed. Even Mumford & Sons will not be mentioned beyond this sentence. That’s just Spinning Platters allowing me and my subjective musical tastes to run amok. However, there is something here for every musical taste imaginable and as I mentioned at the conclusion, if there was something we must all know about that was overlooked, let it be known in the comments.

Read on, discover some new gems, and get an overview of what to expect this coming year. I’ve even included links to lead-off tracks where they’re available and, of course, my own witless banter when absolutely necessary. Happy New Year of listening.

Continue reading “90+ albums to look forward to in 2015”

Show Review: Marina & The Diamonds at Popscene, 330 Ritch, 7/8/10

Marina & the Diamonds - Stripped down

Four songs into the set, Marina Diamandis, the songstress that is Marina & the Diamonds (the Diamonds being you, the fans, duh!) announces boldly that this is “the last chance you’ll get to see me like this.”  Whether or not this is true, at this moment in time, Marina & the Diamonds is bigger than the packed dance floor of Popscene at 330 Ritch.  Of course, Popscene is notorious for giving you the opportunity to say “I saw them when” but could Marina really back up her claim that she will be one of the greats, or will she just fade out once popular culture is done with her? Continue reading “Show Review: Marina & The Diamonds at Popscene, 330 Ritch, 7/8/10”

Marie’s Best of SXSW 2010 Awards

This is one happy award winner!

Let me start off by saying that I probably saw 1% of possible bands to see at SXSW, and none of them were the bands everyone is talking about.  I didn’t bother waiting in line for She and Him.  I left a venue Hole was playing right before they came on twice.  I don’t give a crap about The Black Keys or Broken Bells, and my feet hurt too much to watch Miike Snow (which I actually kinda regret).  My point being that my awards are highly subjective and only the opinion of me, Marie.  A special thanks to YouTube for making these awards possible.

So, on with the awards! Continue reading “Marie’s Best of SXSW 2010 Awards”

Album Review: Marina & The Diamonds – The Family Jewels

I first heard Marina and The Diamonds’ album The Family Jewels in my usual fashion: in the background while I did something else.  It caught enough of my attention that four songs in I turned to YouTube, wanting to know more.  What I found there horrified me. This travesty of a video made me spend the next two days telling everyone who would listen about this horrible woman they should never listen to.  Now it’s three weeks later and per lastfm I have listened to these songs 186 times.  So, what happened?  Continue reading “Album Review: Marina & The Diamonds — The Family Jewels”