fr though i had to watch my kid unexpectedly.
In the midst of realizing how much my time and attention is no longer my own as I attempt to raise a human being, and being simultaneously humbled and annoyed by it, I’ve been watching Girls for the first time, a decade late.
Something about thinking how much I am no longer a goofball floating around the city contrasted with the charming narcissism that fuels Girls’ best moments has been a weird way to kick off the year. Uhhhh something something we’re all better when we’re connected.
A few Good Links for y’all:
RIP Neil Kulkarni – I wasn’t terribly familiar with Kulkarni’s work, but I loved this reprint of his 10 point guide to being a music critic from 2009
Whole Lotta Red / Kind of Blue – issue two of Smartdumb goes deep on Playboi Carti as our generation’s Miles Davis
Irie on a budget – Behringer dropped a recreation of the Grampian 636 spring reverb, made famous by King Tubby. I don’t think I could have given them my money any faster.
In praise of in-between genres – A little late, but David Drake had an excellent piece on “cyberfunk,” and other (possibly made-up) between-genre-genres that collect outdated aesthetic impulses
Anyways, we’re still here, and there’s always more new music. As always, you can follow along on our playlists on Spotify and Apple Music, which update every Tuesday along with the newsletter. Enjoy!
datadata – OKAY
“OKAY” is the excellent debut single from Brooklyn DJ/producer datadata aka Dara Hirsch. It’s barely more than a squelchy acid bassline, chopped breaks, and Hirsch’s deadpan vocal, but “OKAY” leans together perfectly – the sounds are classic, the builds are effective, and it’s propulsive, tight, and righteously fun.
Creed – One Last Breath (Jojo Edit)
This isn’t available anywhere to stream, but this Instagram house flip of Creed’s “One Last Breath” by Jojo Lorenzo was stuck in my head all week. It’s silly, but it’s incredibly effective. Scott Stapp house album when???
Six Organs of Admittance – The Mission
Ben Chasny's ghostly folk anthems as Six Organs of Admittance have been a favorite of mine since 2005's School of the Flower hit my turntable and stayed there all that year. Chasny's best songs are wispy, bleary-eyed and beautiful, and although he is also a shredder, it's his tender voice and gentle sense of melody that always have me the most excited when he drops a new record.
The Smile – I Quit
The Smile’s latest is delightfully low-key, avoiding the “supergroup” trappings that hyped up their debut LP two years back. There are no rock bangers on the record, instead opting for dub-adjacent balladry that makes perfect use of Jonny Greenwood’s tendency for hypnotic, otherwordly textures. More rock stars should be making small, weird records like this.
Billy Joel – Turn The Lights Back On
I have a group chat where the consensus is Billy Joel is, on all levels, much better than Bruce Springsteen. Though I’m the lone dissenter, Joel’s first song in 17 years “Turn The Lights Back On” is a showcase of his strengths as an elder statesman. It’s a little saccharine (obvs) but there’s something more real in this song than Springsteen’s last…decade? Of new music? All hail the king of Long Island.
throwback
Mario Acquaviva – Notturno Italiano
My friend Joe sent this on the group chat with just “Italian Steely Dan” and it definitely delivered. “Notturno Italiano” is a 1983 Italo boogie-disco jam, but the song’s mu chords and tight, narcotic horn arrangements are pure Dan.