Category: Single Of The Week

VIDEO PREMIERE: “Girl Girl Girl” by Anna Hillburg

I was first introduced to the great Anna Hillburg via her amazing (and educational) Instagram Series “Tootin’ Tuesdays!” where she would cover classic trumpet riffs in well known songs, with a bit of history and well crafted video. BUT! We aren’t here to talk about “One of the few things that gave me hope during the deep pandemic,” because she’s also finished the third portion of her epic music video trilogy that began with “Your Room” and “middled” with “No Fun.” “Girl Girl Girl” finishes off the story, and might be my favorite movie of the year at this point. 

“Girl Girl Girl” is a track off Hillburg’s upcoming record Tired Girls, coming your way October 13th! You can do all you need to do to anticipate your listening (by that, I mean Preorder or Presave) of it here! And there’s a record release show at The Make Out Room in SF on October 20th at 7:30pm, so please remember to leave work early that day? Probably in an angry huff? Maybe knock over a water cooler while you are at it? 

Single Of The Week: “(I Wanna Be Ur) 90s Dreamgirl” by Hannah Marks

I’ll be frank- I’m feeling super under the weather this week, and I had two other “single of the week” nods in the queue… Then I found this perfect encapsulation of my teenage years as an angsty gen-xer, crushing relentlessly and telling nobody. The sound- Hannah Marks is a jazz musician and she’s basically assembled an amazing jazz band and has told them to play punk rock, giving us the best Sonic Youth song since, well, since Sonic Youth broke up. And that video? <chef’s kiss>

“(I Wanna Be Ur) 90s Dreamgirl” is the most recent single off Marks’ upcoming record Outside, Outlier, coming your way on October 20th! 

 

Single of the Week: “Plain Speak” by Marnie Stern

 I’ve had two doctors recently tell me that I need to cut back on my caffeine intake dramatically. And, although Matcha doesn’t seem to be cutting it, Marnie Stern seems to have felt my pain and struggle and released her first single in about ten years, and it’s the perfect substitute! “Plain Speak” is classic Marnie- as frantic and furious as a panic attack (which is the main reason I need to cut back on my caffeine and increase my time spent actually sleeping), combined with the tethering of lyrics that are optimistic without being cloying. Stern has perfected empathic composition, and, really, it couldn’t have come at a better time. 

Guitar master Marnie Stern’s new record, The Comeback Kid, is coming your way on November 3rd, which is exactly one week after my birthday, which is PERFECT! Preorders have already kicked off! And if you become a VIP member of Joyful Noise Recordings, you can get the fancy version with a bonus 7″, in addition to all the other perks of membership like random access to free tickets, the ability to download the full catalog, and fancy other stuff! 

Single of the Week: “FBL” by UPSAHL

I may still be riding out my Outside Lands buzz from last weekend, but that UPSAHL set was truly magical, especially for being to be basically hit over the head with a bit of dirty rock n roll ferocity before my coffee even kicked in. UPSAHL debuted the A-Side to this single, “0 to 100,” a lovely, emotive ballad this weekend. It’s a solid song, but I flipped over the virtual single (ok, I mimed flipping over the invisible 7″. Shut up, let me have my fun.) and found the more emotionally complex “FBL.” On some level, it’s a party starter. On other levels, it’s a complex look at partying and reality and how those worlds coincide, and it’s one phenomenal track by a young talent that’s gonna keep blowing our minds, I suspect. 

 Both “0 or 100” and “FBL” are part of The PHX Tapes Vol 3, a continuing series of singles from UPSAHL. Vol. 1 and 2 are also out in the world and ready for your listening pleasure. 

Single of the Week: “Mythologize Me” by Eliza McLamb

I know, it’s the first day of Outside Lands, and, sadly, the first year in a while without an Outside Lambs area, so, of course, I have to pick a “McLamb” for Single Of The Week. Well, the pun is unintentional. The song? Purely intentional. A warm and hooky song about the lengths people go to in order to become an idealized sexual partner? Well, that ticks all the boxes for me. I love the song, and I’m ready to dig further into McLamb’s catalog. 

Eliza McLamb has recently signed with Royal Mountain Records, so expect more to come. Until then, you can enjoy “Mythologize Me” in all the usual places, and check out her podcast, Binchtopia, here! 

Single of the Week: “New York Transit Queen” by Corinne Bailey Rae

It’s been about six years since the last Corinne Bailey Rae single. And I’ve always known that Rae has been unafraid to showcase a wide variety of influences, but I never would’ve expected a super sweaty, 1:57 driving rocker to come from her. It’s so fast you could miss the song, but if you jump in before it gets away from you, you get a concise story and a solid HIIT workout all at once. 

“New York Transit Queen” is the first single from Black Rainbows, a multi-media project that Rae has been working on for the past six years, inspired by Theaster Gates’ collection at Stony Island Arts Bank. The audio portion can be pre-ordered here and will be out on September 15th. 

Single of the Week: “Under The Sun” by SPELLLING

Oakland’s SPELLLING has released two of the most impressive dark-pop records I’ve ever heard, and the cries of “this generation’s Kate Bush” are all well deserving. She’s also been on the road for about two years straight with an AMAZING live band that has given these tracks a bigger, more organic energy. Instead of doing a live album, she’s brought that band into the studio to record “live” versions of these tracks, and this version of “Under The Sun” is a world away from the lofi synth of the original. 

SPELLLING & The Mystery School is coming to your eardrums on August 25th, and preperations for it’s arrival can be made here. SPELLLING is bringing her band and other friends as well as a myriad of other oddities and exciting things to Children’s Fairyland in Oakland on September 16th for a very, very special evening of… Well, it’s co-presented by Atlas Obscura, so your guess is as good as mine. Tickets for that are available here! 

Single of the Week: “Tiny Garden” by Jamila Woods featuring duendita

Jamila Woods never ceases to surprise me. Her heavy lyrics are always full of layers, often political or spiritual, or a mixture of both. So, after spending hours with “Tiny Garden,” trying to determine what she’s getting at, only to find that she’s gifted us with… A straight-ahead love song? A stunning, honest love song, centering on the work and the joys of being in a long-term relationship. And that middle lyric: “If I’m awkward, let me rock,” sent shivers down my spine. It’s the most real, relatable, and kind song I’ve heard on a while. 

“Tiny Garden” is the first single off Wood’s upcoming album, Water Made Us, which is sure to dominate all of the end-of-the-year lists. So do the prep work to make sure you are ready for it on October 13th here! 

NEW CHERRY GLAZERR ALBUM OUT SEPTEMBER 29TH!!!!

Cherry Glazerr has been a Spinning Platters favorite for a while… For years, a photo I took of them from SXSW was our Facebook image. (Does anyone use Facebook anymore?) Anyways… We are stoked that they are back with their first record in four years! I Don’t Want You Anymore is the name, and it’s in stores and streaming on September 29th. Preorder/presave here! And enjoy the scorcher of a first single, “Soft Like A Flower”

 

Single of the Week: “Go Back To Disnee” by Locate S,1

Remember the classic Rage Against The Machine lyric “Your Anger Is A Gift”? Locate S,1 have hit that nail so perfectly on the head. Especially since, if you aren’t paying attention, “Go Back To Disnee” is just a mellow, happy little groove of a tune. Except it once you start digging into exactly what frontwoman Christina Schneider was getting to: the struggle of celebrating this country in 2020 (the year this song was written), when COVID is running rampant with little regard for humanity and even lesser communication about what to do. George Floyd was just suffocated to death by a former co-worker turned police officer. Half the west coast was on fire. Who would’ve thought it could get even darker in the last three years? (JESUS!)  This single is perfect catharsis for dark times. Bitter irony and a catchy, bossa nova beat. 

“Go Back To Disnee” is the most recent single off Locate S,1’s latest record Wicked Jaw, in stores and streaming on July 28th. (PreSaOrderVe Here!) Locate S,1 is also traveling across this great land to perform for you! Tour Dates are here, and we are likely to be in the audience at the July 29th show at Thee Stork Club!