Week wrap: new singles plus everything else I wrote about last week including books, music, and more
Jump to new releases, this week’s music posts, or things to read.
Hi! You’re here! Thank you.
Still no AC. I don’t want to talk about it.
The next couple weeks will be light posting – Monday’s a holiday, Friday I have to do wedding things. Then I’m off to a cottage for a week and I don’t know what the wifi situation is like. They say it’s good, but…we’ll see. Meantime:
Once again, read the short things: These stories by Lena Valencia are great. I’m hoping to pick up her book next week. Listen to the Math Club record and the Julia-Sophie record – each in a single sitting, with headphones, in a place that you can get emotional.
Here is this week’s playlist for Apple Music and Spotify
Things to listen to
New singles from new artists (to me)
- Pony (Toronto) released Freezer, a melodic and catchy power pop song
- Dummy (LA) released Nine Clean Nails, second single Nullspace from upcoming LP Free Energy
- tibia (Stockholm) released their debut single Two Weeks of Gloria, a kind of alt-rock style mashup
- Sunflower Bean (NYC) released Shake, loud, bluesy, guitar-first alt-rock
- Colatura (NYC) released Suffer Dude a couple of weeks ago, but I just heard it yesterday
- Silver Firs and STAINWASHER (Stockholm) released Lost, the latest dark pop
From the blog
A song from each of these artists is on the playlists: Apple Music and Spotify
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Math Club – Sleeping in the Sun
Hamilton, ON
Math Club’s Sleeping in the Sun is gorgeous, poetic, cathartic and flawless. It’s easily one of my favourite records of 2024
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Fast Blood – Sunny Blunts
Newcastle
Fast Blood’s debut LP Sunny Blunts is fast and melodic indie punk rock. End-to-end, this album is an all-timer
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Lucky Break – Honeysuckle / Burning String / Red Balloon
San Francisco
Lucky Break is from California, and her striking voice perfectly suits the laid-back indie singer/songwriter’s musical style
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Alex Vile — various singles
Seattle
Alex Vile’s long run of singles is enough for one killer alt-rock LP. Plus a new conspiracy theory
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Bahia – Blinds/Stills EP
Miami
Bahia’s music is low-key, addictive indie pop/EDM that sounds best late at night. I hope there’s more on the way
Things to read
Short things
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Week wrap – August 2, 2024
Weekly review – new releases from old favourites, and a recap of the posts from the past 7 days.
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A few short horror stories from Lena Valencia
Lena Valencia’s first short story collection comes out next week. A couple of short stories she’s published online has made the book a must-buy
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Is Sleep Training Harmful? – The Pudding
The Pudding’s latest data visualization is a killer example of how to debunk myths using empathy and data On Friday, The Pudding published a piece about ‘sleep training’. Pretty much any parent can relate to the anxiety and lack of definitive answers that come with a newborn. There isn’t a lot of science on any…
Book reviews
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Little Rot by Akwaeke Emezi
Little Rot is propulsive and intoxicating in setting and story, but the thin plot makes it somewhat forgettable
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When the Clock Broke by John Ganz
When The Clock Broke is an engaging and enlightening bit of history. It does a great job of showing how little has changed in the past 3 decades.
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The Book of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves and China Miéville
I nearly didn’t finish The Book of Elsewhere, but it course corrected and I almost liked it. It’s still way less than the sum of its parts
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Banal Nightmare by Halle Butler
Banal Nightmare is full of smug, selfish, self-righteous jerks, accusing each other of being exactly that. And it’s fantastic
Till next week, y’all. Don’t be afraid to say hi.
Have something to share?
Something you wrote or made? Something you just think more people should see?