unfortunately, this ja rule/metallica song is my roman empire
plus melody english, model/actriz, roisin murphy, sufjan stevens, and the national in 2006
EDIT: This one is a few days late thanks to the whims of a tiny human. I’ll be back on Tuesday next week!
Evidently men are out here thinking about the Roman Empire?
It’s wild that two days later, I’m late to the meme, but let me just say after consideration, my Roman Empire is the all-time ode to creativity, washedness, and how millions of dollars will ruin your mind – Some Kind of Monster, the documentary about Metallica making St. Anger. It’s possibly the most bizarre look into the creative process, especially seeing how broken these men are by fame and getting exactly what they want, and I think about it all the time. The entire movie is incredibly quotable, especially if you make music, but specifically, this scene where Swizz Beats and Ja Rule collaborate with the band is just seared into my brain for its 2000s-era major label hubris:
Honestly, Lars just saying “it’s stock” loops in my head every single time I make music. Goated useless feedback.
I heard you threw out your Spotify and bought MP3s – Denise Lu makes yet another compelling argument for treating your music collection like an actual collection again, and unplugging from the streaming machine.
Fluxblog Vs Pearl Jam – Matthew Perpetua reconsiders Pearl Jams’ Vs on the 30th anniversary of the album’s release. Like REM, Pearl Jam were one of the biggest bands in the world who feel like their legacy vanished into thin air in the 2000s.
WHERE IS DAVID FRICKE?? – Maybe you’ve missed Jann Wenner self-immolating in a heap of smug, insouciant sexism, but even if you have, Abby Jones’ rebuttal to Bob Guccione’s Constitution-citing defense of Wenner is a worthwhile read.
The Trans Right To Be Bad At Sports – It’s not music-related, but I’ve been a longtime Pablo Torre fan, and his interview with the only trans high school athlete in Ohio is sweet, funny, and excellent. “We all deserve to be completely mediocre at the things we love" hit for me.
As always, you can follow along on our playlists on Spotify and Apple Music, which update every Tuesday along with the newsletter. Enjoy.
Model/Actriz – Winnipesaukee
“Winnipesaukee” is the new single from Model/Actriz that removes the angular thrust of their incredible rhythm section, revealing a strong Xiu Xiu vibe from the trio. Are we about to reconsider Jamie Stewart’s influence from the 2000s? I’m in.
Melody English – It’s Time To Go Now
I had the good fortune of working with Melody on backing vocals for a track coming out soon, and getting to witness her use her impressive, flexible voice in person was a treat to watch how she wields her instrument. There’s a papery grit to even her most ephemeral performances, brushing on your ears like coarse linen over skin. Her whole new record The Web is a showcase for her talents, but “It’s Time To Go Now” is fun, funky outsider pop a la Patrick Cleandenim.
Roisin Murphy & DJ Koze – Two Ways
I expected the pairing of Roisin Murphy and DJ Koze to result in an album chock full of big 4/4 bangers, but it turns out they're equally great at robotic R&B? "Two Ways" lurches along as Murphy's vocals are garbled by a vocoder that doesn't hide her voice as much as find a new, gurgling desperation that suits the shapeshifting beat. Hope she keeps making music like this and shuts up about puberty blockers forever.
Sufjan Stevens – Will Anybody Ever Love Me?
I’m all for Sufjan’s collabs and experimental projects, but it’s so rewarding to hear him return to his wheelhouse, if only because he still has no worthy imitators.
Thurlow Joyce – Varial
Unusually compelling trance music from Vancouver’s Thurlow Joyce. I found this one in Shawn Reynaldo’s First Floor – and he’s in the US this week on a book tour if you want to catch him IRL discussing his new book of the same name!
throwbackkkkkkkkk
The National – Live @ El Castell Embruixat 2006
Yes, they put out a surprise new record on Monday, but if you’re going to listen to the National this week, please make it this live show from 2006. The band alternates between songs from their not-very-good early records and their urgent, newly excellent songs from Alligator. It’s the sound of a band shedding their skin in realtime, and the awkward shift in quality song-to-song is oddly thrilling.