Show Review: Do Make Say Think with themselves at Great American Music Hall, 2/2/10

Nine musicians in constant motion, giving it their all

Do Make Say Think are one of the leaders of the instrumental rock genre, and have been for some time. Along with Explosions in the Sky, Mogwai and Godspeed! You Black Emperor, they’ve fought hard against the tyranny of lyrics to play dramatic and emotional music that’s all about the music. They’re the electric guitar era’s answer to classical music.  And on Tuesday night, they brought their nine-piece ensemble to Great American Music Hall, which is a perfect venue for them. Continue reading “Show Review: Do Make Say Think with themselves at Great American Music Hall, 2/2/10”

New Release Round Up 2/2/10 – 31 Instant Album Reviews

Read on to find out who these guys are.

Pouria said he wanted to take the week off because he’s burned out on new releases. And then he sits next to me and tells me about all the albums I’m missing. I think he’s actually burned out on being funny. Lucky for you, I’m not burned out on being funny; I’ve hardly begun being funny!  Read on, dear readers, for 31 album reviews await. Continue reading “New Release Round Up 2/2/10 — 31 Instant Album Reviews”

Spinning Platters Picks Six (More): Fun Cover Versions

... or is he dancer?

Back in September I revealed my secret love of searching out cover versions on Youtube and posted six of them.  You can read/listen to that here

So here we are in February 2010 and I decided to do it again.  Check out these six songs and let me know what you think.  Maybe post some of your own ? Continue reading “Spinning Platters Picks Six (More): Fun Cover Versions”

SF Sketchfest Review: Red Wine Boys w/ Mates Of State, John Hodgman, Larry Murphy, Brendon Small, Eugene Mirman at The Mezzanine, 1/31/10

This is our last report from the 2010 edition of San Francisco’s Sketchfest festival, and this one might be the most impressive show of the festival. I showed up before the doors opened, only to find the longest line that I have ever seen at Mezzanine before a show. I made my way to the front, only to glimpse that Dave Eggers was on the guest list.

Continue reading “SF Sketchfest Review: Red Wine Boys w/ Mates Of State, John Hodgman, Larry Murphy, Brendon Small, Eugene Mirman at The Mezzanine, 1/31/10”

Album Review: Everybody Was in the French Resistance…Now!!! – Fixing The Charts Volume 1

Every now and then you encounter something so weird and wonderful that you have to write about it.  Today I’m reviewing an album that it’s hard to really classify as “good” but it’s just a joy to listen to.

Everybody Was In The French Resistance…Now!!! is Eddie Argos from Art Brut and Dyan Valdés from The Blood Arm. This is album of response songs, humorous, often speak-sung responses to well known tracks.  To quote an analysis I read on www.allsounds.com:

“Avril Lavigne is a bitch. When she’s not gloating about her totally undeserved success or berating and sneering at young mothers, she is attempting to steal men from loving happy relationships.” and Everybody Was In….  attempts to fix this and a number of other pop injustices. Continue reading “Album Review: Everybody Was in the French Resistance…Now!!! — Fixing The Charts Volume 1”

Album Review: The Magnetic Fields – Realism

From the opening notes of The Magnetic Fields’ new record Realism you feel at home.  There’s the familiar jangly acoustic instruments and Stephin Merritt’s low drone of a voice mixing with Claudia Gonson’s sweeter one.  The lyrics are clever and the longest song comes in at 3:26.  This isn’t the strange distorted Magnetic Fields of their last record; this is more like 69 Love Songs revisited, sweet and expected.  At first it feels too similar to their previous work to be anything interesting enough to keep you coming back.  I struggled with this idea, then realized that I’d been listening to the album almost constantly for a week letting the words and notes seep into every part of my mind, like subtle magic. Continue reading “Album Review: The Magnetic Fields — Realism”

New Release Round Up, 1/26/10 – 26 Instant Album Reviews

Pouria mentioning Kidz Bop in his intro is a great excuse for running this classic still from their "Since U Been Gone" video

Kidz Bop is really awful and weird and I swear it was on American Idol last night. Not that I watch that or anything. Continue reading “New Release Round Up, 1/26/10 — 26 Instant Album Reviews”

SF Sketchfest Review: The Jill and Julia Show at Yoshi’s San Francisco, 1/27/10

Julia Sweeney and Jill Sobule

According to the song that opened their winning 90-minute set, comedian Julia Sweeney (best known for her 1990-1994 run on Saturday Night Live) and musician Jill Sobule (best known for singing “I Kissed A Girl” first and so much better) met randomly at the Monterey Bay Aquarium one lucky day not long ago. Sobule cautiously approached Sweeney to express her admiration, but then Sweeney spotted Sobule and pounced her. Their mutual admiration society has led to an ongoing story-song collaboration called “The Jill and Julia Show,” which made its first Bay Area stop last night as part of the 2010 SF Sketchfest.

Continue reading “SF Sketchfest Review: The Jill and Julia Show at Yoshi’s San Francisco, 1/27/10”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 1/27/10-2/2/10

Tonight at Bimbo's
Tonight at Bimbo's. Babies not included.

This weekend finally sees the first music festival of the season, the young but promising Winter Music Festival, popping up at venues all over town. Check out at least one of those shows this week so that SF Indie and Talking House Records feel your love. Plus, you’ll be supporting local music more than once a year, and that should make you feel warm all over. As to which shows to see? Read on, music lovers! Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 1/27/10-2/2/10”

SF Sketchfest Review: The Dave Hill Explosion w/ Dick Cavett and Gordon Gano at Cobb’s Comedy Club, 1/26/10

Many reviewers, when they attend a show, tend to do a lot of research about the performers. They watch videos, read biographical information, and so forth. I don’t believe in this. I like to be surprised. I had no idea as to who Dave Hill was before tonight. I am not so oblivious as to not know who Dick Cavett is, nor Gordon Gano, but I didn’t know who the headliner was. Judging by the size of the crowd, neither did many of the attendees of Sketchfest. In fact, the balcony was closed and the main floor was only about half full. I went in (relatively) blindly. It was a good decision.

Continue reading “SF Sketchfest Review: The Dave Hill Explosion w/ Dick Cavett and Gordon Gano at Cobb’s Comedy Club, 1/26/10”