Single Of The Week: “Midnight Snacks” by Kelis

Did you know that Kelis’ “Milkshake” is 20 years old? It made me feel pretty ancient. Luckily Kelis isn’t very interested in wallowing in the demise of youth and instead embracing maturity. That’s where “Midnight Snacks” comes into play… It’s the spiritual sequel to “Milkshake,” still embracing the food metaphor, but a song that’s much more intimate, much more profound, much sexier than “Milkshake.” The groove is solid and sticks with you, right down to the intense, processed guitar solo that either winds you down or hypes you up, depending on what you need it to do. 

You can enjoy “Midnight Snacks” in all the usual places. And if you want to take the song literally or need something to eat after taking the track for its symbolic meaning, Kelis is partnering with Bounty & Full to send you your own box of Midnight Snacks. And for those of you heading to Outside Lands, Kelis was *just* added, and she’s playing The House by Heineken on Saturday, October 30th. Yes, the same day as Lizzo. 

Single Of The Week: “Somewhere They Cant Find Us” by Habibi

The literally ONLY good this to happen this decade so far is that New York’s Habibi has become one of the most prolific bands in rock.  Just last week they gifted us with a covers EP, and this week they dropped a brand new original song, “Somewhere They Cant Find Us.” This one is a full-on booty shaker with some of the best skittering drums I’ve heard in a long time. This one is perfect for house parties, or when you need something to perk you up to get things done. It’s another piece of solid joy from one of the best-kept secrets in rock. 

“Somewhere They Cant Find Us” is available now in all the usual spots. A physical 7″ is coming your way on October 29th, and you can preorder from Kill Rock Stars your choice of a pink (limited to 91 copies) or gold (limited to 500 copies) 7″ record! 

 

Spinning Platters presents “How Did I Get Here?” Season 3, Episode 1 with Rhian Teasdale of Wet Leg + US TOUR DATES AND A NEW SINGLE!

Spinning Platters presents “How Did I Get Here?” is available almost everywhere you enjoy podcasts. You can find us and subscribe here!

Most episodes of this show are with someone that has had a long and storied career. I mean, that’s the premise of the show. However, the opportunity to bring Rhian Teasdale of the great Wet Leg, the best thing to come out of the Isle of Wight since The Who’s best live album, onto the podcast was too good to pass up. We talked about deciding to pivot from your academic studies to studying rock n roll. We talked about becoming a headlining act on the strength of a single, absolutely killer song. We talked about becoming the next big thing in the middle of a pandemic. And, most importantly, we talked about the difference between American and British names for a frozen, whipped dairy treat. 
 

Life moves quickly for a young rock n roll band. Since we recorded this interview, not only has the band released their second single, “Wet Dream,” which I can assure you has more blush-worthy lyrics than “Chaise Longue,” but might even be more danceable. And you should get your dancing shoes ready because Wet Leg is coming to the US for THREE SHOWS!!
 

Single Of The Week: “disappearing girl” by the aquadolls

I spend hours listening to tracks trying to find the perfect Single Of The Week for you. Sometimes I don’t make it more than 10-15 seconds. Other times I find myself repeating the song 10-15 times in a row. “disappearing girl” definitely falls into the latter. With every listen, I pick up on some other element that makes my heart do that bubbly warm thing when a song is just great. And this song has it all: a catchy chorus, disjointed rhythms and time changes, potent, emotive vocals that *almost* crack at the right moment, a fun video, a Sonic Youth reference. Jesus. It’s just SO GOOD! 

“disappearing girl” can be enjoyed now in all of the usual places. I’ve since gone down a YouTube rabbit hole with the band. You should, too!

Outside Lands 2021 Night Shows Announced!!!

One of my least favorite things about multi-stage music festivals is, well, having to decide who to see when multiple acts are playing at once… Remember having to pick between NERD and Carly Rae Jepsen in 2018? THAT WAS EVIL!!! How did I manage? By buying a ticket to see Carly Rae at her Outside Lands night show at The Independent the night before. That show was pretty much pure magic. Are you looking for a purely magical experience that’s slightly more intimate than your regular Outside Lands? Feast your eyes on their Night Show schedule: 

To buy tickets, simply go here! The 2020 Eager Beaver presale starts Wednesday, September 22nd at noon PT, and the 2021 Outside Lands Ticket Holder presale begins Thursday, September 23rd at noon PT. Those passholders should be getting an email with a passcode shortly. If there are any tickets left, the general public gets their shot Friday, September 24th at noon PT. Good luck! 

EP Preview: “Nice Try” by Habibi AND TOUR DATES

 

Habibi was one of like five bands to get to complete their 2020 tour before the world shut down. And their good fortune did not end there… Anywhere But Here landed the band on a slew of year-end lists, enough to get the attention of the legendary label Kill Rock Stars, which is AMAZING news because there were six years between the band’s self-titled debut and second record!

While the band is in the studio working on LP #3, they have treated us with an EP of cover songs from some of their favorite performers. The first single is a cover of the Kleenex classic “Nice,” translated into Farsi by lead singer Rahill Jamalifard. The EP, called Nice Try, will be ready for your ears very soon. You can watch this countdown clock with bated breath like I have to know the minute it’s read! And they are also going on tour! Check out the dates below: Continue reading “EP Preview: “Nice Try” by Habibi AND TOUR DATES”

Single of the Week: “You Was Born To Die” by Adia Victoria (featuring Kyshona, Margo Price, & Jason Isbell)

You know your gonna get a real burner of a track when the video opens up with T-Bone Burnett riding in a vintage car. This song, off Adia Victoria’s latest full-length LP A Southern Gothicwhich lands in stores and DSPs TODAY, is fierce and fiery. It’s classic southern blues, with that signature T-Bone Burnett spooky reverb and Adia Victoria’s potent vocal. If you are looking for a classic murder ballad when you need that hit of catharsis, this one is for you. 

“You Was Born To Die” can be enjoyed in all the usual places, and don’t forget to grab A Southern Gothic

Outside Lands 2021: Additional GA Tickets On Sale 9/16 at 10am

Just a quick heads up- if you missed your shot at Outside Lands tickets in the Spring, they are putting a small number of 3-Day and single-day GA tickets on sale TOMORROW! That’s Thursday, 9/16, at 10 am PST. Go here to snag your tickets! 

Also, tomorrow happens to also be the last day to start your vaccine schedule be fully inoculated in time for the fest! Outside Lands will be requiring either proof of vaccination or a negative test taken within 48 hours of the event. More info can be found here about their health & safety policy!

Reissue Spotlight: Deluxe & Reimagined Editions Of 2020 Releases by Thao & The Get Down Stay Down and Diet Cig

The beauty of bringing a new body of work out on tour is that it allows the artist to find new ways to connect with their own music, oftentimes giving space for a song or collection of songs to grow and evolve. The performer-audience dynamic allows for both the fan and the songwriter to find new meaning and new layers in a piece of work. 

Sadly, many of the best records of 2020 never got that chance to grow with an audience. I’ve spent the better part of a year and a half longing to hear what happens with Diet Cig’s Do You Wonder About Me? once given the chance for a live audience to take it in. Although that has yet to happen, the band has found numerous ways to reconnect with the songs and connect to fans without the opportunity to bring it live. They have done filmed livestreams. They’ve commissioned artists to reinterpret the album as a zine. And now they are blessing us with I Don’t Like Driving Like I Used To, and EP of alternate takes of tracks from Do You Wonder… that were recorded during this ever so lengthy quarantine. 

This companion to a genius record is coming your way October 1st. You can presave your copy on your favorite streaming platform immediately. 

Also breathing new life into their 2020 release is Thao & The Get Down Stay Down. Temples is probably Thao’s most electric record to date, and like the Diet Cig album, a record that helped ease me through the despair of the last 19 months. On October 29th, she is bringing us Temples – Deluxe Edition, where she strips four Temples standout tracks free of the electronic elements and lays them down on acoustic instruments accompanied by strings, no doubt inspired by her neighbors that she introduced us to during her Tiny Desk Concert

Preorders of Temples – Deluxe Edition will begin soon! 

David Byrne’s “American Utopia” Coming To Theaters for One Night Only!

I’ll be rather blunt with you- I, personally, am not feeling totally safe with the idea of going to a lively, indoor, open dance floor show. Even though I’m vaccinated and would probably be double-masked, the prevalence of Delta and its intense infectiousness leaves me feeling like, for the good of my community, it’s best to stay away from spaces where we fling spit and sweat at each other. 

BUT- it still feels good to share the experience of music. And this may not be 100% safe; a safer way to enjoy this experience could be in the confines of a movie theater. Specifically heading out this Wednesday, September 15th, to enjoy the Spike Lee-directed presentation of David Byrne’s award-winning American Utopia. For one night only, mask up and take in one of the most cathartic music experiences of a lifetime. Showtimes and locations can be found here!