Spinning Platters – Page 72 – Reviews of albums, films, concerts, and more from the Bay Area Music and Movie Nerds

Podcast Review: City in Exile

Podcast fiends, here’s your new addiction.

Brendan O’Loughlin recently launched the inaugural episode of his podcast titled, City in Exile. It’s a document of the ever-evolving cultural capital of California, San Francisco, and more specifically, it’s O’Loughlin’s love letter to the city he grew up with. San Francisco is also my favorite city in the country and watching it evolve, and seemingly devolve, from the place I used to escape to in my youth has been both mystifying and depressing, but those of us who pay close attention recognize that all things change and we find ways to recapture those ephemeral bits that made us fall in love with the city as it continues to change.

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Single Of The Week: “Resistance” by Yo Kinky

I get a lot of press releases. I’ll admit, most of the time I just read the subject and archive it if nothing jumps out at me. I wish I had time to listen to everything that was sent to me, but I just plain don’t. This particular one almost didn’t make the jump! But some mystical force made me listen to this track. I had a queue of about 20 other songs that could have been this week’s single, but this one was just magic. “Resistance” is dreamy, shoegazey goodness, with just a hint of country. Singer Laura Wight comes from the Neko Case / Bethany Constentino mold of full, confident emoting with just a hint of twang, and it balances nicely over the wall of sound layers this group produces. If you were a fan of 90’s alt-rock legends Belly, this is a band for you.

“Resistance” is available now in all of the usual spots. I’m excited to hear more from these folks in the coming months and beyond!

Single of the Week: “Orange Klan” by Kuwaisiana

Doesn’t it feel good to have such an immense weight off of the world’s shoulders? I know Trump leaving the White House doesn’t fix EVERYTHING. (And, goddammit there’s plenty to fix) But we successfully thwarted an actual coup attempt! And that asshole is probably not going to be able to run for any office again, and hopefully, social media will keep him muted. To celebrate, here’s a lovely ska song from a band the country formally known as a “shithole” but now just Kuwait, by way of New Orleans, Kuwaisiana. It’s called “Orange Klan” and you are more than welcome to blast it at your Trump flag waving neighbors.

“Orange Klan” is from Kuwaisiana’s latest EP, Chapter 2, which you can buy RIGHT NOW on Bandcamp!

Single Of The Week: “Run on the Water” by Kinneret

I’m not going to lie, I’m suddenly obsessed with the music of Kinneret.

Imagine if you will a world where Peaches and Del the Funky Homosapien raised a child together that became about the absolute synthesis of the artistry of those two legends. And that singer/songwriter/producer is Los Angeles’ Kinneret. I stumbled across her entirely on accident, and this song is glitchy, lo-fi bliss with surreal lyrics.

“Run On The Water” can be found in all of the usual places. In fact, you should fall down a Kinneret wormhole like I have and just spend the rest of the day digging into her catalog. In fact, if you need to zone out and concentrate on something, someone made an hour-long loop of her first sing, “No Wind Resistance” and it’s great for getting things done. I can’t wait to see what comes from her this year, and once live shows are a thing again, I can’t wait for her to come up to the Bay Area.

Single Of The Week: “Suspended” by The Muckers

It’s been a shitty, scary week here in the US. Armed militia took over the Capitol in order to prevent the certification of a free and fair election. It didn’t work, but five people died and I’ve been in such a dark news-refresh cycle that I almost didn’t get you a single of the week. Then I clicked on the video to “Suspended” by NYC’s The Muckers. It was the fun, Big Star / Cheap Trick 70’s-inspired power pop that I needed to break the cycle of anxiety. It doesn’t hurt that Congress has ensured that Trump won’t be able to use the military to make his coup happen, and we’ve got less than two weeks left of this godforsaken administration.

“Suspended” is from The Muckers’ upcoming full-length Endeavor, out February 26th! You can do all the usual preorder/presaving in all the usual places!

Spinning Platters’ Top 20 Albums of 2020

By The Spinning Platters Editorial Staff

What a shit year, am I right? I guess that’s the consensus all around. It was also a weird year for music… The first half of the year had a bunch of great records that were released with touring in mind, full of epic live songs that are meant to be heard in a crowd and that simply didn’t happen. The second half was full of intense projects made while in seclusion. Projects where the recording is really the only means of connecting. This was a great year for the art of the album, despite it being a terrible year for musicians to make a living. Which is why we are giving you a top 20 this year! A lot of independent artists mixed in with the big ones, so please buy a record or two, or some merch to help keep them alive and able to hit the road when it’s safe.

A quick note: We begin this process in October, so our years is 11/1-11/1. So, yes, you will see at least one late 2019 album on this list. Continue reading “Spinning Platters’ Top 20 Albums of 2020”

Single of the Week: “Auld Anxi” by Metric

I’ve had one frightening thought that has repeated in my head throughout most of the last four years, but has been amplified greatly over the course of the last 8 months: “Many Americans are so against the notion of caring about each other that when faced with the prospect of doing ANYTHING that will help improve the lives of one another, the request itself won’t just be shrugged off, but will be treated with such utter scepticism that the request itself would be viewed as purely evil and certainly will destroy our way of life.” The reality of life isn’t quite as dire as that, but the anxiety lives on. Emily Haines has always had a great gift for writing about anxiety in a clear, empathic manner. “Auld Anxi” is a rewrite of the classic “Auld Lang Syne” that might be one of the more optimistic songs ever written about anxiety. It’s like getting the warm hug from a dear friend that understands you and listens without judgement that we so badly need right now, but aren’t likely to get for another several months.

Today is the first day of 2021. This means we made it through that hellscape of 2020. I hate how few of us made it through, and it sucks that things are going to keep getting worse for a bit. BUT- the light is at the end of the tunnel. We have less than three weeks of the Trump administration left. The first two vaccines have been approved in the US, and there’s likely to be one more in the next week or two. For now, stay safe- mask up if you MUST leave your home, if you still are working, give money to causes that will help people stay home that otherwise are forced to put themselves in dangerous situations for survival. I love you, dear reader, and I want you to be there when we can finally get back to shows next year.

Film Feature: Carrie’s Top 10 Films of 2020

Thinking back on the year in movies, “unusual” and “complicated” might be 2020’s most fitting descriptors. Yes, we’ve had plenty of content to watch, thanks to streaming services, and plenty of time at home to view it all, but COVID-19 cancelled the multiplex experience. Watching movies at home, without the excitement of the big screen and a crowd of fellow film-lovers nearby, just wasn’t as satisfying, which is why the number of films I reviewed this year dwindled sharply. That said, I did watch enough to pull together my annual Top 10 Best Films of the Year. And a unique year requires a unique Top 10 list: hence my first ever Haiku Top 10! I hope each of these 17 syllable snippets (and their trailers!) will steer you toward checking out these films, each of which moved, inspired, and stuck with me this year. Here’s to a return to in-person cinema in 2021! (And if you’re curious about what was on my list last year, you can check that out here.)

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SF Sketchfest Presents: FESTPOCALYPSE!!!

Normally, right about now, we’d be carefully analyzing the 300 or so events that would make up the 20th Anniversary of SF Sketchfest in preparation for putting out our annual “Nerd’s Guide to SF Sketchfest.” Sadly, due to the COVID pandemic, the 20th Sketchfest is going to be delayed a bit, at least until it’s safe for us to congregate again. However, the festival organizers haven’t been resting on their laurels. Instead, they have put together a ridiculous line-up for a variety show that will be getting beamed to your computers on Saturday, January 30th at 5pm PST / 8PM EST, and it’s called: FESTPOCALYPSE!!!!

Headlining are The Kids In The Hall, The State, and Mr. Show’s David Cross & Bob Odenkirk. You know the three most important sketch shows ever after SNL, In Living Color, and SCTV. There will be appearances by all of your SF Sketchfest favorites, and pretty much anyone that has ever made another human laugh EVER, if you look at the poster above. And everyone is doing all-new performances just for this special event.

Tickets are $20 and all of the proceeds go towards helping the good folks at SF Sketchfest keep the lights on and can afford to put on the event that you expect them to when they are ready. The regular ticket lets you watch it all weekend long! And for $50 you can enjoy a “virtual VIP after party” where you can actually walk around and mingle via avatar. I don’t know how they are going to do it, but I’m curious enough to find out. There are also a BUNCH of other packages for those who can spend a little more to help keep these folks afloat! Tickets are available here!