RECS #4
RECS #4
Music, words, and films for the month of June + the record of the week
Hello there. As promised, below is my monthly list of what I’m reading, listening to, and watching. I always appreciate suggestions via real live human beings as opposed to algorithms, so please send any my way.
MUSIC
I am very late on this one (11 years to be exact), but I just discovered Daniel Johann, aka salvia palth. I stumbled onto an article which noted that his new record is the follow-up to his 2013 debut album, melanchole, which he made when he was 15, using found equipment and having no prior recording knowledge. I noticed the record had about a bajillion streams and I said, “okay, I’ll bite.”
I immediately fell in love. I don’t usually gravitate toward stuff that sounds like this. Most of the suggestions under the “Fans also like” section are records I’ve tried on and felt didn’t fit me. Maybe it’s that the lo-fi nature of this record feels uniquely genuine, after reading that it was the result of limited tools and knowledge. Or maybe it’s that fact mixed with the beautiful melodies and chords that are just so easy to listen to. I do not know and I don’t need to know. It’s just a really beautiful record.
WORDS
I’m reading James Joyce’s Dubliners. I’m not going to lie and say that it’s been an easy or immediately moving read for me. It’s not that it’s difficult to read, but rather that it’s been a while since I’ve read something that communicates with such subtlety. I feel like I need to call my high school English teacher so that he can tell me the symbolism behind every object, detail, and conversation. I’m definitely feeling the effects of years of screen time, which is a bummer. All of that said, I’m still enjoying it. When I’m able to fully immerse myself in the language, it’s beautiful. There’s no mystery as to why he’s one of the greats.
FILM
I’m rewatching Season 2 of The Bear in preparation of the release of Season 3, as it is one of my favorite shows of the last however many years. But I didn’t time it right, so I’m getting texts about the new season and I’m not ready.
My friend (and brilliant photographer), Emily, texted me venting about a subreddit that she follows, in which many people have expressed their desire to see a romantic relationship develop between two of the main characters, Syd and Carmy. She felt like it’s rare to see a purely platonic, creative/collaborative relationship featuring a male and female character, and it would be a shame to see this show devolve into some sort of trope. She also said that her reason for telling me this was because Syd and Carmy’s dynamic always reminds her of our time “collaborating and appreciating each other,” which made my day.
Of course, I agreed, and expressed my own gratitude for the work we’d done together, our own creative relationship, and friendship. I’m crossing my fingers that Season 3 has me as inspired and moved as the prior two seasons. If you’ve already binged all 10 episodes, please allow me to catch up. No spoilers in the comments, please!
In case you missed it, I released a music video for my latest release, “waves keep crashing.” You can view it here:
THE RECORD CLUB
Last week’s selection was George Michael - Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 (1990)
You can find my ramblings on last week’s record in the comment section below.
This week’s selection is…
Week #6
Idles - TANGK (2024)
RECORD CLUB THREAD
George Michael - Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 (1990)
Alright let's start with the good stuff. "Freedom" is an undeniable smash. "Waiting for the Day" is probably my favorite on this record. It's become too expensive for artists to sample the way they did in the 90s, so most resort to using loop packs that drummers and producers sell or downloading random royalty clips from Splice. But that era in the late 80s/early 90s when sampling was still a new thing, and you had multiple songs all using the same drum break was so exciting to me. I still get pumped when I find a song that's new to me that uses a break I'm familiar with, and there is no drum break more iconic than the James Brown "funky drummer" break. Such a cool usage of it too.
"They Won't Go When I Go" is heart wrenching. Love "Heal the Pain" as well. Sort of feels like a Beatles tune to me, at least in the melody.
All that said...I did feel some of the choices on the record are a bit dated in a way that made it difficult for me to get past. There was that early 90s moment where everyone was like, "listen to this! We don't have to hire a flutist or an orchestra anymore! It's all right here on the keyboard!" And those sounds did not age well, unless you're using them ironically. The 90s were weird like that.
Side note - what an album cover.