Spinning Platters – Page 84 – Reviews of albums, films, concerts, and more from the Bay Area Music and Movie Nerds

Film Review: “Bullet Train”

Welcome to late-stage Brad

Balletic Fighting — Brad Pitt and Bad Bunny star in Bullet Train.

Fading assassins looking to complete the latest job. Low-level criminals looking for a clean exit from the life. Under-loved princesses looking to deal with daddy once and for all. Others looking for nothing more than cold, hard revenge. And in the middle of it all is bucket-hat Brad Pitt. In his latest, Bullet Train (or: Bucket-Hat Brad with a Bullet), Pitt romps, skips, hops, twirls, guffaws, and even sings his way through an overly-complicated, needlessly-sprawling, yet more than semi-entertaining roller coaster. Continue reading “Film Review: “Bullet Train””

Single Of The Week: “atonement” by Winter featuring Hatchie

One of the craziest things about kids these days is how much they seem to LOVE classic 4AD releases and early 90’s shoegaze in general. “atonement” is the latest single from Samira Winter, who performs under her last name, Winter. Which is also the PERFECT name for a shoegaze artist. For this track she teamed up with Hatchie, another modern shoegaze artist. So, yeah, if you need some slow and loud, here’s some excellent slow and loud.

“atonement” is the lead track from Winter’s upcoming full length, What Kind Of Blue Are You?, which will be spreading joy to your eardrums on October 14th.

Broken Clover Records is donating 100% of proceeds to charity in August

Our dear friends at Broken Clover Records are doing something lovely this month: They are donating all label revenue to a slew of different charities, including the ACLU, Muttville, SFUSD, and many, many more. Just head over to their Bandcamp page, and you can pick up many exemplary records, including Zones by Enablers.

Or another Spinning Platters’ Favorite, Gold Country – Country Gold by Secret Emchy Society!

Or Orpheo_Nebula by Switzerland’s torpedo, which doesn’t have a YouTube link, but this record is out in September, and the first single, “HELL,” is excellent.

Single Of The Week: “Shower With My Clothes On” by Ashe

We are exactly one week out from Outside Lands, and the schedule is LIVE! I noticed that I had a gap on Friday late afternoon, and I stumbled across this gem of a track. I’ve listened to “Shower With My Clothes On” like ten times today. The gentle acoustic guitar strum over Ashe’s heartbreak vocals builds up gently, with banjos and horns building up in a smooth wash of joy. This track feels like a cross between Morcheeba and Sea Change-era Beck and is glorious.

Ashe is playing the Twin Peaks stage at 3:45 on Friday (a week from today!) at Outside Lands. “Shower With My Clothes On” is the 4th single off her upcoming release, RAE, coming your way on October 14th! You can prepare for its arrival in whatever way you prefer here!

Film Review: “Vengeance”

Kutcher excels in Novak’s mixed feature film debut

Music producer Quentin (Ashton Kutcher, l.) talks with journalist Ben (B.J. Novak) about Ben’s recently deceased acquaintance and life in West Texas.

Perhaps best known as Ryan from The Office, B.J. Novak has long been a writer as well as an actor, and now, with his new film Vengeance, he can add feature film director to his resume. With this picture, he pulls off the cinematic trifecta of acting/writing/directing, and, for a first effort, the results aren’t bad. While not stellar by any means, the picture definitely has its moments, and signifies Novak as a filmmaker to watch.

Continue reading “Film Review: “Vengeance””

Top 10 from the Bottom Half of the Outside Lands Poster 2022

It’s as if the last Outside Lands was only 9 1/2 months ago… But it’s time for ANOTHER Top 10 from the bottom half of the Outside Lands poster. There is so much good stuff on here that you’ll be mad you slept in. Tickets are *somehow* still available here!

Continue reading “Top 10 from the Bottom Half of the Outside Lands Poster 2022”

Film Review: “Where the Crawdads Sing”

Edgar-Jones, Strathairn bright spots in otherwise forgettable bestseller adaptation

Tate (Taylor John Smith) and Kya (Daisy Edgar-Jones) spend a lot of time sitting dreamily in gently waving grass.

Readers of the massive (over 12 million copies sold!) 2018 bestseller Where the Crawdads Sing have likely been eagerly anticipating the Reese Witherspoon produced adaptation of her book club phenom. To prep for the movie, I read the Delia Owens novel, and can tell you up front that the movie does indeed capture the gist of the book. Some small plot details have been eliminated or changed slightly, and longer sections have been compressed, but the book’s themes and emotional underpinnings remain intact. The novel’s readers will have an inherent interest in the film, just for the curiosity of seeing how the story and characters translate to the big screen.

Continue reading “Film Review: “Where the Crawdads Sing””

Single of the Week: “Cardinal Feather” by Julie Odell

For those of you following this column every week, you’ll notice that I find myself veering towards anxious music. “Cardinal Feather” by New Orlean’s Julie Odell drew me in immediately, but I didn’t pick up on the anxiety at first. Then I read her bio and she said, “Cardinal Feather was born out of a panic attack.” However, this song does not wallow in the anxiety. It’s really a song of optimism and finding your way through the anxiety. Sonically, Odell sounds like the record that Jenny Lewis never did with fellow Louisianans, Givers.

“Cardinal Feather” can be enjoyed in all the usual places. It’s the second single off Odell’s debut album, Autumn Eve, due to your local DSP and/or turntable on September 30th, and can be reserved here.

Old Crow Medicine Show with Molly Tuttle: A Definition of HOME

Photos and Review by: Emily Anderson – EmilyAnderson.me

When listening to Molly Tuttle and the Golden Highway, your entire person will elevate to a higher positivity. The upbeat, quick rhythms with elated smiles between the band and the audience were contagious. During a few short pauses of confession and conversation, she referenced San Francisco as her home. Upon each return, she witnessed the changes and felt the nostalgia for the original San Francisco and California Dream. This is the origin of the “San Francisco Blues.” Of the entire set, my personal favorite was “Crooked Tree” with the stand-out lyrics “who am I to wish I wasn’t the way I am.” All of the songs appeared to resonate with a strong positivity encouraging self-appreciation and acceptance. Safety of self and home. Continue reading “Old Crow Medicine Show with Molly Tuttle: A Definition of HOME”

Halloween Meltdown 2022 Line Up Announcement!

Good news! Halloween Meltdown is BACK for a second year! And it’s bigger than ever! John Waters and the $500 Costume Contest are back, but we will also get to see the historic Mosswood House turn into a Haunted Mansion!!! And the lineup? It’s pretty much magic. We see the triumphant return of Demolition Doll Rods. We have rare appearances from The Spits and Josie Cotton. Living legends Lydia Lunch and Kid Congo Powers will be there, too! Plus Amyl & The Sniffers, Shannon & The Clams, FUZZ, Sheer Mag, Body Double, NIIS, and more to come! VIP & GA tickets are on sale now, and you should buy them soon because I’m scared they will sell out. (Get it? Halloween? Scared?)