Dakin Hardwick – Page 35 – Spinning Platters

BONUS Single Of The Week: “Dream I Had” by Revenge Wife

Becoming visible as a new artist for the last year and a half has been a tricky game. The most practical option is to tour and get your music in front of as many live faces as possible. Or befriend as many DJs as you can and get them to spin your tracks in front of an audience. Neither of these things have been an option for most of 2020 and 2021, and although live events are starting to wake up a little, so is the Delta variant, so we could possibly lose these shows any moment now. (GET VACCINATED NOW!)

It’s been important to get creative and think outside the box. Or, in the case of Revenge Wife, aka Elizabeth Nistico, focus your energy on the last art form that really drove artist discovery: THE MUSIC VIDEO. Nistico has made an amazing, captivating series of music videos that all tie into each other, creating one cohesive story. “Dream I Had” is the latest chapter, following “Home,” “Earthquake,” and “Manifest.” Please watch in that order. And subscribe to her VEVO channel, because the story isn’t over yet.

All of these tracks can be found on Revenge Wife’s recently released EP, Background Songs for Your Boring Life, Part 1, which can be streamed/purchased in all of your favorite streaming and purchasing portals.

Single Of The Week: “Fast Car” by Syd

I’ll level with you- these days are rough. The Republican Party is dead set on making sure that no working-class people and people of color are ever able to vote again. COVID is spiking all over the place, making for the conditions of a much worse variant than Delta to take over. Haiti is experiencing a tragedy that could ruin them. People are starving in Cuba due to, um, some ancient trade embargo that prevents them from participating in capitalism despite the only reason it’s in effect is because they don’t participate in capitalism. (That’s one helluva catch-22) And there is SO MUCH MORE HELL RIGHT NOW THAT MY BRAIN CAN’T HOLD IT ALL! I almost didn’t do a single of the week this week. I wanted to stay in bed and away from my computer.

Then I heard “Fast Car” by Syd. That’s the artist formerly known as Syd Tha Kyd. The frontperson of The Internet. The most talented member of Odd Future (Sorry Tyler and Frank!). And this song is great. And this video is one of the most romantic short films ever made. Did it totally turn my mood around? Well, no, I’m still anxious as hell. But for 4:43, I felt a little removed from the hell we are in. So please go to all the usual places to enjoy this lovely soul jam.

Spinning Platters presents “How Did I Get Here?” Season 2, Episode 7 with Julie Schuchard

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

Julie Schuchard is the co-founder of Tricycle Records, (Download their latest free compilation here!) who has given us records by local acts such as The Hot Toddies, Everyone is Dirty, Andrew St James, Rich Girls, Geographer, and more. She also has done marketing for SF Sketchfest, Mezzanine, and about a dozen other local venues, has served on the board for the SF chapter of the Recording Academy, and can often be found around town DJing from her impressive vinyl catalog. We got to talk about her history with music, the struggles of running a label, and also her move from focusing on music and to the world of graphic design.

She also has a Nasty Woman tattoo on her wrist as a reminder that being a woman in this industry (and in this world in general) takes an extra level of nasty. Enjoy her Nasty Woman playlist below:

Single Of The Week: “dumb dumb” by maize

I hate remembering the horrific events of January 6th, 2021. It was the first time that I really felt that forces of evil were really capable of dismantling democracy in America, and it became clear that all someone influential had to do to destroy this country is muse about something possibly happening and thousands of people would decide to, um, take control of The Capitol. To this day the rage leaves me so scrambled that I can’t even clearly convey my thoughts. But, you know who did? mazie. She gifted us with this lovely track called “dumb dumb” that takes the narrative for what it is and manages to take the power back from the terrorists that attacked us that day using the most potent weapon at her disposal: PURE SNARK! Both lyrical snark and even the bouncy instrumental backing are a bit snarky. This track is genius.

“dumb dumb” is out now in all the usual places! Her debut EP, the rainbow cassette, will be out on August 25th!

CONTEST!! Enter To Win Passes To see LION BABE on Flymachine!

Spinning Platters wants you and a friend to join us for the upcoming Flymachine Livestream with LION BABE. On us. And, no, you will not automatically be added to any marketing list.

To join us for LION BABE on 8/5, click here to enter with just your name and email and here to purchase. (Winner will be notified by email on Friday, July 30th)

This is why: Continue reading “CONTEST!! Enter To Win Passes To see LION BABE on Flymachine!”

Single Of The Week: “I Confuse Us” by Caitlin Cobb-Vialet

“I Confuse Us” is a song that feels equally warm and uncomfortable. It’s the rare genius composition that incorporates unusual rhythms and the occasional off-key note not because the performer made a mistake but because the performer wants you to feel the song’s awkwardness. Not since the early works of Regina Spektor have, I heard someone reinvent the simple sound of voice and piano in such a glorious way.

Oakland’s Caitlin Cobb-Vialet will be releasing her debut EP in October. For now, you can enjoy and follow Cobb-Vialet’s work in all of the usual places.

Show Review: Thao Nguyen at The Chapel, 06/24/21

I’ve seen Thao perform in a lot of non-traditional spaces and situations. I’ve probably seen her perform more non-traditional sets than traditional sets at this point… I’ve seen her do a high concept stand-up and music variety show, I’ve seen her as the special guest of a fake talk show where Moby taught her how to play “Purple Rain,” I’ve seen her absolutely kill “Push It” by Salt-n-Pepa while being backed by Fred Armisen & Carrie Brownstein, and I’ve even seen her create a live score to a series of classic film shorts! And that’s just what I’ve written about… So it seems appropriate that Thao is my first “COVID-Safe” show.

Continue reading “Show Review: Thao Nguyen at The Chapel, 06/24/21”

Single Of The Week: “I Wanna Be a Dog” by Colleen Green

Colleen Green has been putting out amazing lofi power-pop for about a decade now. And I ADORE HER! It pains me that we’ve somehow never written about her on this site. That changes RIGHT NOW! Because her latest single “I Wanna Be a Dog” is a stunning, fuzz-filled song that I’m sure most of the world can relate to.

“I Wanna Be a Dog” is off Green’s upcoming full-length record, Cool, out September 10th! Preorders are available right now, and if you act quickly you can get it on “cool cloudy smoke” colored vinyl!

Single Of The Week: “Chaise Longue” by Wet Leg

Live from the Isle of Wight comes, um, not The Who. Instead, we have the debut single from recent Domino Records signees Wet Leg. The song is called “Chaise Longue” and it’s a riff-heavy dance/rock number that is going to fill you with immense joy. Well, it will if you like dry, witty lyrics combined with an infectious groove that makes you long for the days of dancing in a sweaty club together. (SO SOON!!) Imagine the colorful witticisms and guitar mastery of Courtney Barnett combined with the elegant smuttiness of Jarvis Cocker and blasting at Popscene circa 2003.

“Chaise Longue” is streaming in all of the usual places. Will we hear more from them? I sure as hell hope so. They are also touring the UK this fall, and I hope a trip across the pond will be happening sooner than later.

Spinning Platters presents “How Did I Get Here?” Season 2, Episode 6 with Chris Appelgren

In this episode I got to talk with Bay Area music legend Chris Appelgren. We talked about many of his bands, including Bumblescrump (sadly not getting into exactly what this word means), The Potatomen, and The Peechees. We also discussed his rising through the ranks at Lookout Records, and even talked about its inevitable decline. And, of course, we talked about his time at Noise Pop, Bold Italic, and Ticketfly, as well as his return to the record business by helping Once And Future Band release their 2020 album Deleted Scenes.

Listen Here:

Listen to the music mentioned here: