One of the many great records that Spinning Platters Writers enjoyed in 2014
2014 was a good year for music — you just had to lose yourself in something unsafe. – Staff Writer Jonathan Pirro.
A lot of people seemed mighty nonplussed by 2014’s recorded music output. Sure, there was a lot of somewhat generic, unimpressive stuff. However, if you did some real hunting, you’ll find that there was some incredibly impressive stuff out there. Here are Spinning Platter’s Staff’s individual lists of favorite records of 2014, starting with my own list:
As a kid I was shy. Painfully so. I distinctly remember having a friend in pre-school who didn’t talk. It was by choice, not by some lack of ability, that she didn’t say one word. I enjoyed our time together. Complete silence and yet there was a comfortable communication between us.
Washed Out at Hype Hotel was the perfect way to end a long week. Also, kudos to the Hype Machine for only permitting badge/wristband holders to attend night shows, thus effectively keeping overcrowding at bay.
I haven’t been to SXSW in four years. I can’t say I was too sad about that fact, though. Ever since 2007, the festival has changed dramatically, and not necessarily for the better. To paraphrase, I don’t agree with Lady Gaga’s comment, during her keynote, that corporations are what make this festival remarkable or even possible. SX thrived long before big business descended upon Austin in droves, and will be just fine if some decided to pull out in the future.
That being said, I did enjoy seeing Big Freedia and my new Houston hero, RiFF RaFF, perform in the Doritos-sponsored tent. Yes, it was as crass an atmosphere as you could imagine from a brand targeting youth with their mass-produced, processed food; but the free chips and ample lounge seating were a relief after a long day of walking. Damon Albarn’s set was a bit disappointing at Stubb’s, largely due to the incompetence of the crew setting up between gigs, but he brought the real thunder, in the form of original Gorillaz’ members, Del tha Funky Homosapien, De La Soul, and even Snoop, at the Levi’s-sponsored Fader Fort.
Overall, I had a wonderful time. This is partly due to the fact that I was in good company alongside Michelle Viray and Dakin Hardwick, who wrote quite the remarkable review of all the bands we took in during our four-and-a-half-day sojourn. Though it’s not quite possible to see every act on one’s list, having a wristband does help in certain circumstances (like getting into the Hype Machine’s Hype Hotel for evening shows). I still wish we had discovered this guy, though. Without further ado, here is a collection of some of my favorite photos taken last week.
I didn’t go to SXSW last year. And I, literally, spent all of 2013 being sad about it. SXSW is like live music Disneyland. Sadly, complete with the lines and the getting frustrated about all of the people with Fast Passes cutting ahead of you. However, if you play your cards right, you can see an obscene amount of live music. In four days, I got to enjoy 34 bands. And I didn’t even try that hard this year.
I am, and there’s no better word for it, a Blur superfan. They’ve been my favorite band since I was 17. That was 1995. You can do the math. But all old jokes aside, I was very sad that I couldn’t make the trek to London to stand in line for hours and get one of the 1,000 copies of the new Blur 7″ “Fool’s Day” released for Record Store Day in the UK. As an old-school collector who spent all my lunch money on imported Blur singles, this was a painful decision. At least no one could go because of some sort of apocalyptic devil-ash, and I take solace in that. And in the fact that the internet exits… but I’ll get to the song now. Continue reading “Single Review: Blur — Fool’s Day”
The Kronos Quartet isn’t really the type of show we normally review. There are no earplugs required, you’re sitting in seats and most of the audience is over 35. In fact, it’s not even really a show, it’s more of a concert. But Spinning Platters wanted to cover what they are doing this Noise Pop week; a West Coast premier of Jon Rose’s Music From 4 Fences along with music written by various musicians more well known in popular culture. I especially couldn’t miss tonight’s offering: music composed by Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz fame (the other artists showcased this week are listed here). There were many things I expected from The Kronos Quartet, like professionalism and amazing talent and skill, but it was the surprises that make it an experience I highly recommend. Continue reading “Concert Review: The Kronos Quartet — Music From 4 Fences at Z Space @ Artaud, 2/24/10”
There’s more to life than Noise Pop. Not much more, so these week’s list is going to be a bit shorter than usual, but there is still plenty to do that isn’t with the masses.
