Reviews of albums, films, concerts, and more from the Bay Area Music and Movie Nerds
Treasure Island Weekend is upon us… And, if you still have the energy, here’s a few more shows to go to, as well!
Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 10/14/2010-10/20/2010”
I need to level with you, my loyal readers. Sleater-Kinney is my favorite band. End of story. I have seen them more times than any other band, and, quite happily, only once has seen them as a support act. (As sub-headliner at This Is Not A Festival in 1999)
Since their hiatus began in 2006, I’ve been eagerly awaiting some musical output by the band members. Yes, Janet Weiss has been putting out Quasi records at the same frequency, but her SK-time has been devoted to Stephen Malkmus and Bright Eyes session work. Carrie Brownstein has been writing and doing comedy, amongst other things. But, Corin Tucker has been quiet, at least comparatively so. She’s made a handful of public appearance, but for the most part, she’s been the reclusive one.
This year, Corin Tucker finally put out a solo record, and then pulled together a band to do a short tour in support of it. I’m equal parts excited and worried that it’s not going to be up to expectations.
Belle & Sebastian is not the kind of band that jumps out and grabs your attention, instead they plant a seed which needs time to grow. When my friend gave me the spectacular If Your Feeling Sinister in 1997 it was with the promise that I would listen to it at least five times in the background before I gave it my full attention. He was right; it haunted me, it seeped into my soul, and I loved it. So now I’ve spent two weeks with Belle & Sebastian Write about Love their newest effort, and I can’t say that same feeling of love and musical bliss has washed over me. Though I keep waiting and hoping it will. Continue reading “Album Review: Belle & Sebastian — Belle and Sebastian Write About Love”
The Corin Tucker Band – 1,000 Years.
Corin Tucker was one-third of one of the greatest bands the world has ever known.
In Sleater-Kinney, she made powerful, personal music strong enough to restore a person’s conviction in themselves or rock-and-roll or both. Her voice arced through speakers and rock clubs like the weapon in a video game that could cut through all the enemies in one stupendous blast and keep going to and through the edge of the screen.
Then, in 2006 Sleater-Kinney went on hiatus.
Now what? Continue reading “Album Review: The Corin Tucker Band — 1,000 Years”
How much would you pay to hear one song? What if that song was going to be played by the most accomplished one-hit wonder in the history of music? When that song is “Genius of Love,” and that band is the Tom Tom Club, the long lasting musical project of Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz of Talking Heads, then apparently that price is $26. This was, however, a 13-song set. So what about the other 12 songs? Were they worth the price of admission?
The short answer? Continue reading “Show Review: Tom Tom Club at Great American Music Hall, 10/8/2010”
I’ve been following Marnie Stern’s career nearly from the get-go. Her first record, In Advance Of The Broken Arm, is still one of my all time favorite records, and hardly a week goes by without giving it a listen. I enjoyed her second record, This Is It and I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and He Is It and She Is It and It Is It and That Is That, but, as is the case with many sophomore releases, I didn’t become infatuated with it as much as the debut. So, here we have record number three. A record that’s pre-buzz has led me to believe that we have a “serious departure,” and, what may be the one thing that has me approaching with the greatest caution, “ballads.” My biggest fear would be that one of the most aggressive players in rock music today has gone gentle.
Continue reading “Album Review: Marnie Stern — Marnie Stern”
Rocktober, week 2. Pretty awesome. A few living legends, a few surprises, and a lot of awesome October live music for your pleasure.
Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 10/7/2010-10/13/2010”
The 33rd annual Mill Valley Film Festival kicks off tomorrow, October 7, boasting a genuinely impressive roster of major 2010 film festival favorites making their Bay Area debuts. The MVFF will also host appearances by actors Edward Norton, Annette Bening, Sam Rockwell, and James Franco, directors Julian Schnabel and Alejandro González Iñárritu, and many more. Look after the jump for our 11 MVFF Must-Sees. For complete festival and ticket information, check out the MVFF official website.
Continue reading “The Spinning Platters Guide to the 33rd Mill Valley Film Festival”
When I heard that Bitte Orca was being re-released I was a bit hesitant to say the least. What exactly could the Dirty Projectors possibly have to offer that would warrant an expanded re-issuing of this highly underrated album?
Continue reading “Album Review: Dirty Projectors — Bitte Orca (Expanded)”
In today’s world of music where nearly anyone can slap together a laptop and a table of samplers to create a band, it’s always refreshing to see a band that goes beyond the simple four-piece duty of guitar/bass/drums/vocals and plays something on a much bigger scale. Even more of a treat is the chance to see two bands doing this, especially when the first band joins the headliners during the latter’s set. Take the lot of the musicians, give them two nights at Berkeley’s enormous Greek Theater, and you’ve got yourself one hell of a weekend. How best to ensure that you sell every ticket for both nights? Well, having the Montreal-based septet known as Arcade Fire might help speed up the process.