Reviews of albums, films, concerts, and more from the Bay Area Music and Movie Nerds
Seriously. Look at it.
Charli XCX is finally making good on her 2020 scheduled appearance, and she’s headlining. Fuck Yes. The Strokes are playing. Wet Leg is playing. Ethel Cain. Lucy Dacus. Fucking Turnstile is going to kick us all in the heads. But only if you survive Die Spitz. What a genuinely great lineup!
There is still time to sign up for the 12pm presale TODAY. Additional ticket info here!
It’s hard to take in a movie like The Moment without knowing the context surrounding it. It’s a faux-documentary about Charli XCX’s first-ever arena tour, which followed the surprise success of her 8th record, brat. Prior to brat, Charli’s only top 10 hits in the US came very early in her career, and she did not receive top billing, despite being the primary writer on both “I Love It” and “Fancy.” In the 10+ years since these massive songs hit the mainstream, Charli has largely remained in a “cult icon” status, producing underground club bangers that united LGBT club kids and indie rock hipsters, but she never really reached the massive stature she seemed primed for. She *thought* she had it figured out with 2022’s Crash. But even her attempt to construct a perfect pop record fell short of the goal, and brat was the response to that–a messy, noisy, emotionally complex affair that was expected to bomb. Continue reading “Film Review: “The Moment””
Way back in 2020, Charli xcx released a record called how i’m feeling now. It was written and recorded during the pandemic’s deepest, most unsettling parts. And I think it’s a perfect record. And I spent an absurd amount of time listening and relistening to “party 4 u,” which was not a single. But it struck a chord with me and many, many others. Fast forward to 2020, and it is finally becoming a single and getting the love it deserves. The emotional weight of this song is immeasurable.
how i’m feeling now is getting a “glitter vinyl” repress, which can only be found on Charli’s webstore.
Yes. I know everyone else had their lists finalized and posted in, what, May? Sheesh. Spinning Platters is meticulous and democratic about our process; sometimes, that takes longer. (We’ve also been hard at work on a nice new logo, and I hope you like it!) But you will see some names that are not on anyone else’s lists. And some names that are on everyone else’s because you know what? There have been some solid, instant releases this year that hold up on repeated listenings. So, without further adieu, here it is- the Spinning Platters Top 10 of 2024!
I wanted to avoid any Singles Of The Week that were connected to the pandemic currently devastating the world. However, two singles dropped this week that bring the quarantine front and center. Those are “forever” by Charli XCX and “Phenom” by Thao and The Get Down Stay Down. Both songs are great, and both relevant for different reasons. Continue reading “Singles Of The Week: forever by Charli XCX / Phenom by Thao and The Get Down Stay Down”
In the year 2001, I was working at a Wherehouse Music in the Financial District of San Francisco, CA. During this time period, we received regular visits from representatives from major record labels who would drop off advance CD’s of the upcoming new releases. Mid-Summer, we got a record called In Search Of… by a band called N*E*R*D. This was a side project of popular producers The Neptunes, with Neptune Pharrell Williams handling all of the lead vocals. Yes, there was a time when people didn’t know who Pharrell Willams was! Continue reading “Spinning Platters Picks Six: Albums That Were Pulled Before Release”
Five years ago, I attended SXSW and enjoyed a set where Charli XCX was backed by a three piece rock band. Rumor had it she was going to release a full on rock record, and it never happened. I’ve kept waiting, and instead of that record happening, she pieced together a rock band that includes the great Chloe Chaidez of Kitten on lead guitar. That band is called Nasty Cherry, and they released a new single called “Music With Your Dad” today! It’s a catchy, danceable rock number that will keep your fall nice and warm.
Nasty Cherry’s debut EP, produced by Charli XCX, will be dropping this November.
This year has shaped up to be one of the strongest years on record for pop music, with brilliant records coming out from the likes of Lizzo, Billie Eilish, and Carly Rae Jepsen to name a few. The singles that have drifted out from Charli XCX’s upcoming Charli have showed that pop music is going to keep getting better as the year goes on. This track is propulsive and intense, and is destined to be a classic. It will help make both Charli XCX and Christine & The Queens the household names they deserve to be.
Charli is due out September 13th and can be preordered here. She’s also hitting the road soon, and tickets & tour dates can be found here. Christine & The Queens put on an amazing live show themselves, and if you make your way to Europe, you can catch the tale end of their tour.
