Reviews of albums, films, concerts, and more from the Bay Area Music and Movie Nerds
Sometimes you just need a good, hook heavy pop-punk jam to get through things. You will have those in spades, and “nothing good to cry about” will make you feel all the feels you had when all you needed to get through the hard stuff was the right song.
All you need to learn more about wilt and select your preferred outlet for listening is here.
What can I say? I love a good punk rock mosher. “grin & bear it” by Welsh Riot Grrl act Panic Shack ticks all the boxes- intelligent feminist lyrics, sung with their Welsh accent, and a BPM that gets the heart rate into danger territory. I love them, and love this song. And somehow Super Furry Animals AND Sex Pistols are taking them out on the road next year! Continue reading “Single of the Week: “grin & bear it” by Panic Shack”
I didn’t post this on Friday. Because I knew what was coming. Gen Z’s greatest songwriter, Sabrina Teitelbaum aka Blondshell, had a new single coming down the pike. And it’s a banger. So heavy- both sonically and emotionally. I can’t wait for this record to drop. Enjoy “Heart Has To Work So Hard” NOW!
Fall tour dates HAVE dropped, including an appearance at the historic Castro Theater in SF. Full dates here, including sign up for the May 20th presale!
First of all, it’s been 15 years since the last new music dropped from ANY Beastie Boy. It’s also been 14 years, nearly to the day, since Adam Yauch left this mortal plane. But Mike D gifted us his first solo single today, and it’s a chaotic, jungle-influenced bit of sonic joy. Think DJ Shadow meets AK 1200. Anyways, “Switch It Up” is great.
He’s also playing a few headlining shows, with a show at Sid The Cat Auditorium on Sunday, and Xanadu in Brooklyn May 22nd-23rd.
Sunflower Beam’s Julia Cumming’s solo debut is out today, and the latest single is a heartbreaker AND heartmender. A beautiful song about finding resolution in an old relationship. We’ve all been there, and she captures it in such a lovely way.
Julia is on your favorite DSP and at your local indie retailer TODAY!
Spacemoth is back! I’m bloody thrilled… She’s returned with a bright and sunny bit of krautrock joy. Does that make sense? NOT AT ALL! Until you listen to the track. Heck, even Willow Smith is on board at this point. Put your brain in a swimming pool in the sun and enjoy.
“Do We Exist?” is the first single off Spacemoth’s sophomore record, Inward Eye, dropping June 26th. See them at their record release show at Rickshaw Stop on July 24th, or at the King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard curated Field Of Vision Festival August 14-16! Or on your computer right now courtesy KEXP!
I don’t like to pick covers for Single of the Week, but I’ll make an exception here- Kate Nash has presented a retelling of Sinead O’Connor’s “Famine,” which tells the truth about the Irish potato famine and how it all ties back to English Imperialism. Last night I saw Habibi perform, and their lead singer, Rahill, discussed at length what’s happening in Iran, and it was potent. (Her song about that is dropping soon) But the history of false famines to control a population is as painful as it is deliberate. (See: US destroying Cuba RIGHT THIS FUCKING SECOND)
“Famine” is ready to stream now, and the 7″ can be preordered for release July 17th.
What? An actual piece of modern classical music as your “Single Of The Week”? And it’s out on Stones Throw? Oh, BLARF is actually comedian Eric Andre?!? YES! This piece is a little Copland, a little Gershwin, and a little Reznor and it’s AMAZING.
BLARF’s full album of classical compositions, Film Scores For Films That Don’t Exist is out May 1st. Preorder here! And see him debut these works WITH ORCHESTRA in LA on April 27th!
I’ve come to realize that the “Single of the Week” column has accidentally become my own, personal diary. Maybe because when a song clicks with me, it’s generally directly pointed at something I’m going through. This one is “good” but hard- I’ve been “re”diagnosed with OCD recently, and I’m just starting some rather intense and focused OCD treatment. And it’s painful and scary, and learning how to exist without trying to control the utter randomness of life feels pretty impossible. And it’s “weird.” Even my therapist called my symptoms “interesting.” Fuck. But it really sounds like former Deap Vally frontwoman Lindsey Troy gets it, and gets that it’s such a weird and complex ailment that has been overly simplified as someone who likes to keep things clean. (I wish my OCD did this.)
“Six Shads Of Grey” can be enjoyed in all the usual places. Hoping to get to hear more this year from her!
I suspect anyone who reads this column every week is, like me, broken-hearted over the news about Cesar Chavez. And if you don’t know what happened, just remember the key phrase: “Every man will disappoint you.” Likely even me. That being said, the latest La Dona is a fun little cut with an extra cute video that is also very empowering. I love it, and it’s really giving life to a dark week.
“Buscando un Novio” is the third single from La Dona’s upcoming release, Corrientes. Follow her for up-to-date info on this release!
