Single Of The Week – Page 26 – Spinning Platters

Single Of The Week: “L’Internationale” by Downtown Boys

Did you know there is a big film coming out about Karl Marx’ daughter, Eleanor called Miss Marx? And the New England punk band Downtown Boys is doing the music for it? Neither did I. But with the Republican ticket calling two unabashedly pro capitalism presidential candidate “Socialists,” it might be nice to see what a socialist ACTUALLY is. The lead single is a cover of the classic left wing anthem “L’Internationale,” written by Eugene Pottier.

This track can be found in all the usual places, and, also DON’T FORGET TO VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE!!! Make a plan. Email me if you need help making a plan. Let’s get that monster out of office ASAP.

Single Of The Week: “Stupid Boys” by Bleached

Last night, Bleached played their first show of 2020. It was a livestream, sponsored by our friends at General Election LA. It was fantastic. Sorry you missed it. Instead, here’s a brand new single from LA’s finest! It’s a fun song, that fuses together the disco energy of last year’s Don’t You Think You’ve Had Enough? with the classic, brash Ramonsean punk they were doing when we first fell in love with this band. This is an ear worm that will have you dancing all the way to the polls… Which reminds me to MAKE SURE YOU DEVELOP A VOTING PLAN!! Don’t leave it up to chance… I made some short videos a few years ago to help with electoral anxiety, especially if you haven’t been a regular participant in the electoral process.

“Stupid Boys” can be found in all the usual places, and the livestream of last night’s show will remain live here until 7pm PST, so take a long lunch and enjoy!

Single of the Week: Can You Dance To A Feeling? by The Shutups

Oakland’s own The Shutups are bringing us this week’s Single Of The Week. “Can You Dance To A Feeling?” is a power pop burner, great for getting ready to go out. Yes, I know you can’t go out until sometime next year, but it still feels good to listen to the music that helps you feel that way. The music video also takes place largely outside of the Loard’s Ice Cream shop by my gym, which I miss going to, and can’t wait to see that reopen sometime next year.

You know what you don’t have to wait until next year for? The EP that this week’s single comes off of! 5 by The Shutups is out TODAY and since it’s Bandcamp day, you can buy it right now and 100% of the money you drop on it will go straight to the band so they can, um, buy more ice cream? Also, tonight at 8pm, the band is playing (an empty) Ivy Room, with the whole thing getting streamed on Kill Rock Stars YouTube Channel!

Single of the Week: nowhere, man by tUnE-yArDs

Merrill Garbus has kept herself incredibly busy since 2018’s I Can Feel You Creep Into My Private Life. She’s been producing other people’s music, as well as scoring Boots Riley’s epic film Sorry To Bother You, as well as his yet to be named TV show project. I was actually thinking that she was about ready to let tUnE-yArDs go, and then this chaotic piece of music landed on my headphones today, and, well, WOW! This is the biggest, noisiest thing that we’ve every gotten from Garbus & company, and I’m all in. She manages to keep her groove while attacking you with piano and electric guitar and feedback. So many emotions. So much happening, and it just feels like my brain right now.

“nowhere, man” can be found in all of the usual places. No word yet on whether this is from an upcoming full length, or it’s just a one off track, but it’s a good one, so enjoy!

Single Of The Week: tonight by Alaina Castillo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ki2QhRMlNAc&feature=youtu.be

Do you remember a time when you would actually cancel on plans to go out because you wanted to stay home, alone? It’s hard to think about that, but there definitely was a time this was true. I’m sure when this is all over, and we get back out into the world, within about six months many of us will be back there. The joy of Alaina Castillo’s latest single, “tonight,” is it helps take you back to, um February, when we weren’t trapped in doors, and were able to do things like hug and share a straw and whatnot. The accompanying video is great, too! It’s clearly shot with socially distancing measures taken, without feeling like it was shot like that.

You can purchase / stream “tonight” in all the usual places. One of the options is Tik Tok, so you can really make the president angry by listening on his least favorite platform!

Single Of The Week: At It Again by Slow Pulp

Admittedly, when I saw this press release come to my inbox, I got my hopes up, thinking we had a new Pulp single. I looked at it again, and realized the name of the band is “Slow Pulp.” I was mad and refused to listen to it. Then, when trying to decide on my single of the week, I gave it a whirl. And, much to my delight, this balance of fuzzy and dreamy is right out of early 90’s / 4AD Records heaven! Coming in somewhere between Belly and Curve, “At It Again” is a fantastic song that deserves repeated plays, and will force you to forgive them for the name.

Their debut album, Moveys, is coming out October 9th, and can be preordered / presaved from a a slew of places that you can find here!

Single Of The Week: Our Deal (Live In Studio 2020) by Best Coast

This week’s Single Of The Week is a bit of a cheat. It’s a great song, but it’s also 10 years old. HOWEVER there is a compilation coming out TODAY- That’s Friday, September 4th. And it’s ONLY AVAILABLE TODAY. It’s called Good Music To Avert The Collapse Of American Democracy, and is only available at Bandcamp. It’s the brainchild of Dave Eggers (of 826 Valencia) and funds raised will be donated to Fair Fight, and organization that is fighting for free and fair elections. Which we really, really need right now.

So, please, buy the compilation. And, while you are floating around Bandcamp, remember that today is the day that Bandcamp doesn’t take any commissions from sales, so buy some records / merch from bands that can’t tour this year!

Full Track Listing is after the jump Continue reading “Single Of The Week: Our Deal (Live In Studio 2020) by Best Coast”

Single Of The Week: Hysterical by Sad13

Sadie Dupuis of the excellent Speedy Ortiz is getting ready to give the world her 2nd solo album. But, before that happens, there’s the usual trickle of singles. That brings us to this week’s Single Of The Week, the addictive “Hysterical.” This song is catchy as hell, and is just one of those songs that immediately latches onto you! Ironically, it’s a song about comedians complaining that political correctness is killing comedy. The accompanying video, directed by Spinning Platters fave Jamie Loftus (At least follow her on Twitter. You won’t regret it.) and Kate Banford and features Loftus, Mitra Jouhari, Demi Adejuyigbe and some murderous ghosts.

Sad13’s sophomore album, Haunted Painting, is coming out on September 25th, and physical copies can be preordered here, as well as digital copies for the excellent price of $6.66!

Single Of The Week: Bitch On Wheels by Body Double

“Bitch On Wheels” is the second single off Oakland-based punk band Body Double’s forthcoming album, Milk Fed. It’s a dreamy, fuzzy song with a wonderfully weird video attached. If you want to really understand what “awkward bliss” is, this is the track that will teach you about that. If that isn’t enough of a selling point, here’s what bandleader Candace Lazarou has to say about the track:

“At around 30 years old, underground musicians start admitting they like very popular bands. It’s too exhausting being niche! I wrote “Bitch On Wheels” right after I was in an all-girl Nine Inch Nails cover band called Miss Piggy, and I was finally forced to love a synthesizer. This song heavily features an Akai AX60, which I like because it only listens to my instructions half the time.”

Now I really want to see Miss Piggy play live, which will hopefully happen after the pandemic is over. In the meantime, you can preorder Milk Fed here on vinyl, or here on the streaming platforms. The record is due out September 18th!

Single Of The Week: SULA (Paperback) by Jamila Woods

In 2019, Jamila Woods gave us LEGACY! LEGACY!, a profound piece of work about reflecting on how your heroes connect to your own life. At least, that’s what I got out of it. As we know, art is subjective and you get out of it what makes sense to you. Woods could have continued spent 2020 completely quiet, but that doesn’t seem to be her way. Instead, she dropped this beauty of a ballad, “SULA (Paperback),” a reflection on the Toni Morrison novel, Sula. The song is pure Woods, drawing on elements of the piece of literature that inspired her, and making it something deeply personal. The arrangement is refreshing and tender, combining jazz ballad guitar with pedal steal and layered harmonies that just hit that part of your gut that makes you feel all warm and alive inside.

“SULA (Paperback)” can be streamed in all the usual places, or you can purchase it off Bandcamp. While you are there, if you don’t already own LEGACY! LEGACY!, do yourself a favor and pick it up. It may never leave your turntable.