Single Of The Week – Page 27 – Spinning Platters

Single Of The Week: Lights Out by Deep Sea Diver

It’s been far too long since Seattle’s Deep Sea Diver have graced our presence with new music. Today they graced our presence with a driving little number called “Lights Out,” complete with a new take on the “Lyric Video,” which I’m calling a “Lyrics and Guitar Tab” video. For those of you learning guitar this pandemic, this one’s for you!

“Lights Out” is the first single off their upcoming record, Impossible Weight. You can pre-order/pre-save in all the usual places, but there are some extra special packages available from their Bandcamp page. They are even offering a “Pay It Forward” plan where you can purchase an extra copy of the record and the band will send it to someone struggling financially right now. And, since today is Bandcamp Day, if you preorder it today, the band gets EVERYTHING! Bandcamp waives their fees on the first Friday of each month. I will also recommend that you follow the band on Instagram, because they are very, very active while in quarantine, and they’ve got some good stuff pouring out of them.

Single Of The Week: Club Zero by The Go-Go’s

Not a lot of good is happening in 2020. And, most specifically, not a lot of musicians can say that 2020 has been one of the biggest, most productive years in decades. Yet, somehow, LA punk groundbreakers, 42 years into their career, have been firing on all cylinders this year. Not only did bassist Kathy Valentine release a magnificent book chronicling her career, we also finally have a comprehension documentary from the band, detailing the long, sordid history of the band. Then, out of nowhere, we got their first new music in since 2001’s criminally underrated God Bless The Go-Go’s. The song, “Club Zero,” is the spiritual sequel to their 1997 hit “The Whole World Lost It’s Head.” Where TWWLIH was a jittery, anxious number about seemingly the entire world falling to pieces, “Club Zero” is a bold, confident injection of assurance. It’s the song we need right now- not another somber number about the fall of civilization, but a song to fire us up! A song that, in not so many words, reminds us that nobody else is going to take down fascism. Nobody else is going to stop police brutality. Nobody else is going to save our music venues. I’ve been feeling pretty dark lately, thinking that we aren’t going to survive this. We aren’t going to recover. That the combination of Trump and COVID-19 means the end of humanity. “Club Zero” tells you that’s only true if you let it be true.

“Club Zero” can be found in all the usual places. The Go-Go’s premiers on Showtime tonight at 9/8c. The Go-Go’s, sadly, had to move their first full tour with the classic line-up since 2011 to 2021, and those tour dates are slowly trickling in and can be found here!

Single Of The Week: NOTDF by Le Fomo

This week’s single of the week comes from Le Fomo, and it’s extra special, because it tells a story about one of my favorite venues in San Francisco, El Rio! This is the story of, well, a nipple falling out of someone’s outfit while dancing. An experience that we’ve all experienced at some point. (For me, it was at The Sonics show at The New Parish, and the crowd was so raucous that my shirt ripped open. Apologies to the rest of that audience.) It’s a fun little disco number, perfect for reminiscing about El Rio and all the wonderful daytime dance parties with delicious fry bread being served up in the backyard, the intense punk shows in the side room, or all of the trouble you got into in college during their legendary $1 drink nights, only to be saved by Tamale Lady’s midnight arrival. (RIP Tamale Lady)

“NOTDF” is the lead single off their upcoming full length record, Swallow Me Whole, due out September 25th on Club Queen Records. If you purchase the single off Bandcamp, 50% of all proceeds will go straight to El Rio and helping keep this institution alive during the pandemic. El Rio is also selling t-shirts designed by local artists, so please check them out here if you want a stylish new shirt sent to your door.

Single Of The Week: TFW by Divide & Dissolve

So, each Single of the Week during the pandemic seems to be tapping into a very specific place of my own emotional well being during this whole nonsense. This week’s comes from probably the heaviest band to ever sign to Saddle Creek, Divide & Dissolve. The song “TFW” is a slow, heavy dirge that keeps building and building until the weight of it feels like it’s crushing your bones. There is never relief. Just stacks and stacks of thick, heavy guitars and heavy, pounding drums. You know, just like COVID. It’s all pain and pressure, and there is no relief in sight, and no way out to feel human, and everything you can think of doing will almost definitely cause you or a loved one to get horrifically ill and either die or have to live with painful disabilities for the rest of their lives. It’s a fucker.

“TFW” is streaming on all the usual places now. A physical 7″, with the b-side “8VA” drops August 7th. You can preorder that here!

Single Of The Week: Tuesday Night by Fast Times

This week’s Single Of The Week, “Tuesday Night,” comes from Fast Times, a Bay Area rock supergroup comprised of leader Andrew St James, Duncan Nielsen of Doncat and Cody Rhodes of Geographer. It’s a fun, lofi number with a swing that’s reminiscent of The Strokes at their best, and is another Summer number perfect for helping keep the serotonin pumping while we remain stuck, not getting to see each other or commune together at a rock show. (Which I miss so much, I don’t care if the first version of the vaccine causes me to grow a third arm, I’m in as long as my attendance at a show doesn’t threaten anyone’s life)

Speaking of needing to get to a show, Fast Times were going to do a single release party at Rickshaw Stop, but instead will be doing a livestream benefitting both Rickshaw Stop and it’s employees displaced by COVID-19, but also local charity Hip Hop For Change. The livestream will be Wednesday, July 15th, and can be viewed on both Rickshaw Stop‘s and Fast Times‘ Instagram pages.

Single Of The Week: Waiting For Me by Madame Gandhi

Madame Ghandi is the former drummer for Thievery Corporation and M.I.A. “Waiting For Me” is her major label debut, and it’s a bright number that explores the complex nature of how societal norms contribute to oppression. The video is a bold piece of filmmaking, feature a cast and crew made of entirely female identifying persons, including many queer and trans women. Oh, and it was shot entirely in India!

“Waiting For Me” is available now in all the usual places. Madame Ghandi also has an amazing Tiny Desk Concert and TEDTalk to enjoy while waiting for the full length to drop!

Single Of The Week: Si Te Portas Mal (Be Bad) by Loyal Lobos

Loyal Lobos is Andrea Silva, a Colombian-born / Los Angeles-based singer songwriter. “Si Te Portas Mal (Be Bad)” is a sexy little groove that hits the veins in all the right ways. It’s a song that understands that you are cooped up right now in your apartment with no hope in sight for getting back out into the freedom of the world, and is there for you to help you feel human again. It’s hard to feel “sexy” with the world on the brink of collapse. But Loyal Lobos has gifted us with the cure.

“Si To Portas Mal (Be Bad)” can be streamed or downloaded from all the usual places. Their debut record, Everlasting, is due out August 7th from AWAL.

Single Of The Week: SNIPERS by blackgirlsaremagic

This week’s Single of the Week is an intense one. It comes from Oakland’s very own blackgirlsaregood. The nom de plume of local multimedia artist and author Nick Lovett. The song is a dark, sweeping piece about police activity during the recent wave of Black Lives Matter protests. This one is specifically calling out the presence of snipers during peaceful marches. It’s a chilling, vital piece.

You can download this track from blackgirlsaregood’s Bandcamp page. And, since today is Juneteenth, Bandcamp is donating 100% of their portion of the proceeds to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. So buy a bunch of blackgirldaregood music, or any indie music you have been thinking of picking up.

Single Of The Week: Back For More by Kat Meoz

This week’s single of the week comes from Venezuelan-American Singer/Songwriter Kat Meoz. “Back For More” is an exhilarating blend pop beats with heavy as fuck guitars, calling to mind Sleigh Bells in many ways. Only she has more than a hint of dirty, bluesy swagger. Imagine if Jon Spencer Blues Explosion worked with an 808, and then upped the dirty/sexy thing by like 100 degrees. That’s what Kat Meoz is giving with this track, and it’s EXACTLY what I needed to hear this week.

“Back For More” can be found in all the usual places. Expect to hear a lot more from her later this year!

Single of the Week: Someone’s Lost Their Goddamn Wallet by MAITA

MAITA is a band from Portland, Oregon that’s fronted by singer/songwriter Maria Maita-Keppeler. “Someone’s Lost Their Goddam Wallet” is the second single to drop off their debut record, Best Wishes. It’s a fun little number that’s great for dancing around to, but also reminds you that parties and such might not be as fun as you recall. Especially when throwing a party is suddenly the deadliest thing on Earth, next to going to work in an office or choir practice at church. It’s exactly what I needed to help deal with the norms of now.

Best Wishes is out NOW on Kill Rock Stars, and it’s FANTASTIC. You should buy it TODAY on Bandcamp, because not only is Bandcamp not taking a commission on sales today, but Kill Rock Stars is donating 20% of all sales to community bail funds, mutual aid funds, and racial justice organizations through ActBlue. So buy a few records today, actually. Pick up the Elliot Smith, Marnie Stern, Deerhoof, and many other great Kill Rock Stars releases that you should already own but don’t.

Oh, and if you either forget to buy stuff today, or you want to split your purchases, on Juneteenth (June 19th), Bandcamp is donating their proceeds to NAACP Action Fund.