Reviews of albums, films, concerts, and more from the Bay Area Music and Movie Nerds
“One Hit Wonders” is just a nice, solid groove. The track reminds me a bit of Luscious Jackson at their funkiest, with “rapping” that sounds like a ultra John McCrea of Cake. There isn’t much to be said about this song, but it feels really good. Pop it on and get your Summer kicked off properly!
“One Hit Wonders” is the 4th single from Jenn Grant’s upcoming record, Champagne Problems, coming your way June 21st!
The Be Your Own Pet comeback remains the least expected return of 2023, but I’m ALL IN! We’ve got a second single that isn’t quite the JoltColaCore of their first two records, but we all have to grow up sometime? And if growing up for BYOP means embracing your darkest and most controversial desires and expressing them in the form of rock n roll, that’s not a bad way to channel maturity. “Worship The Whip” is that very song, and it’s off their third album (15 years after their genius sophomore record Get Awkward), Mother, which is headed your way on August 25th. Prepare for this date the way you see most fit by clicking here! I’m a tad overwhelmed by my preorder options, TBH. We will see what I end up buying!
Oh- and I promised tour dates that go on sale this Friday. Looks like a sweaty good time for all:
9/16 – Third Man Records Blue Room – Nashville, TN
10/18 – Local 506 – Chapel Hill, NC
10/19 – Union Stage – Washington, DC
10/21 – Elsewhere Hall – Brooklyn, NY
10/22 – Underground Arts – Philadelphia, PA
10/23 – Beachland Ballroom – Cleveland, OH
10/24 – Third Man Records – Detroit, MI
10/25 – Lincoln Hall – Chicago, IL
10/27 – The Back Room at Colectivo – Milwaukee, WI
10/29 – Headliners Music Hall – Louisville, KY
11/8 – Soda Bar – San Diego, CA
11/9 – Teragram Ballroom – Los Angeles, CA
11/11 – Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA
11/12 – Moe’s Alley – Santa Cruz, CA
11/14- Harlow’s – Sacramento, CA
11/16 – Star Theater – Portland, OR
11/17- Neumos – Seattle, WA
11/18 – The Pearl – Vancouver, BC
(You’re reading Day 3. Be sure to catch up on Day 1 and Day 2!)
Day 3 of BottleRock Napa Valley is always bittersweet because it’s the last day, and I want to see more phenomenal artists, but my feet hurt, and I’m ready to get back to my real life, too. While I’ve been off to the races the past two days, seeing bands right away in the first hour of the day, today I opted for a slower, easier start. I stopped to catch a bit of Half Alive, where I enjoyed the trio’s energy and especially “Still Feel.”
Continue reading “BottleRock Napa Valley 2023 Festival Journal, Day 3”
You’re reading Day 2 – be sure to check out what you missed on Day 1!
Day 2 of this year’s BottleRock started with similar weather to the previous day. By the time I was done watching Paris Jackson‘s set (my first of the day), I was already warm enough to take my jacket off. Despite having heard at least a few of her songs here and there, I wasn’t sure what to expect from Jackson. She has a solid sound with her band, and her set was enjoyable pop-rock. I enjoyed her enough that I’ll be curious to see where her music career will take her. Continue reading “BottleRock Napa Valley 2023 Festival Journal, Day 2”
You might not be able to tell by the weather, at least in Napa today, but it’s almost summer! Memorial Day Weekend marks the unofficial start of summer and the arrival of BottleRock Napa Valley’s 10th festival! The day started out pretty chilly, which had me worried that the weekend might be colder than I’d hoped for a festival weekend, but thankfully it eventually warmed up to a nice breezy, sunny day.
Continue reading “BottleRock Napa Valley 2023 Festival Journal, Day 1”
I’m loosely familiar with the work of Marc Ribot, primarily his time as Tom Waits’ guitarist. What I’ve heard of his work has pretty much entirely been in the greater jazz vein. I’ve never heard him sing before. Even with Ceramic Dog, is work is closer to jazz fusion than anything else. But “Connection”? This song is heavy as fuck. Well, in that Sonic Youth / Wilco / The Replacements way… A ferocious, noisy cacophony with a sweet melody making you feel simultaneously comforted and uncomfortable. And there are even VOCALS!
This surprising track is the first single off Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog’s upcoming record, also named Connection. You can preorder that here!
We’re not even halfway through the year yet, but I think I’ve just seen my Top 10 list’s number one pick. That contender is You Hurt My Feelings, a smart and often painfully funny picture about creativity and relationship dynamics that re-teams writer/director Nicole Holofcener with actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
About two weeks ago, well after most of the shows had gone on sale, Blue Note Napa announced that they were moving their Summer Sessions series of concerts from the Silverado Resort to the Meritage Resort. The Napa Valley Register reported that it was due to some permitting issues with Napa County, but regardless, if there’s a new venue out there in the world that’s hosting a show as promising as Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade and Fishbone, I was going to have to check it out. Continue reading “Show Review: Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade with Fishbone at Meritage Resort, Napa, 5/19/2023”
“It’s a dinglehopper!” Disney has been churning out live-action remakes of their classic animated films since the mid-1990s. The velocity increased exponentially with Cinderella (2015), The Jungle Book and Pete’s Dragon (2016), and Beauty and the Beast (2017). There have been six (!) direct live-action remakes since then, not including numerous character origin stories, sequels, and spin-offs. Over seven titles are in the pipeline. With few exceptions, most of these have been lackluster cash grabs, devoid of the groundbreaking nature and pizzazz of the originals, and unable to modernize themes and storylines without stumbling hard. Thus, The Little Mermaid is the latest entry into Disney’s live-action remake collection, an adaptation of the 1989 animated classic. Directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago; Mary Poppins Returns), the new The Little Mermaid succeeds in ways that previous Disney remakes failed, but at times the film trips over its own feet, err, fins.
If you’re a fan of writer/director Paul Schrader, you’re bound to be disappointed by his newest film. With Master Gardener, the Taxi Driver screenwriter seems to have lost his focus, recycling old themes with no new insights and creating a picture that alternates between gothic camp and heavy-handed tedium.
