The Unprecedented Times
Second Quarter – 2023
June already. Holy hell. God help us all. Here’s some stuff I liked.
Lonnie Holley – Oh Me Oh My
Review Score:
A+
Album Vibe:
Neo soul, free jazz. Themes of spiritualism, mortality, optimism, pessimism.
Favorite Song:
Testing, Mount Meigs
This is not a light, breezy album. It’s dark, it’s intense, it’s sad and uplifting at once. A beautiful piece of work from a 73 year old artist. His wisdom is the driving force behind this project. He writes and sings with a perspective and a weight that comes from his experiences. Read the full review here.
Voyeur – Saint Motel
Review Score:
A-
Album Vibe:
Energetic, unique indie rock. Varied, unique songwriting themes.
Favorite Song:
“Puzzle Pieces”, “Daydream / Wetdream / Nightmare”
This album doesn’t get talked about enough. Saint Motel have been making music for over a decade now. A lot of the stuff they do now is the kind of thing you hear in the trailer of a family road trip comedy starring Jennifer Garner or something. And no shade to that genre or their current music. But Saint Motel were doing something special on Voyeur. The songs on here are more lyrically adventurous than I think they might choose to get these days. “1997” is written from the perspective of a kid talking to their parent, having just joined the “Heaven’s Gate” cult. “Balsa Wood Bones” is a power-fantasy through the eyes of a kid who’s getting bullied. The bass, drums, guitar, and piano are all in perfect sync on Voyeur. A nice little hidden gem of a record.
Gubb’s Second Quarter 2023 Playlist:
Darondo – “Didn’t I”
- Soulful, groovy, ear candy.
Another Michael – “Water Pressure”
- Gentle, acoustic soul. Saw this group live and was blown away.
Remi Wolf – “Prescription”
Tokyo Police Club – “Be Good”
- Perfect 2000s rock.
Gubb’s Second Quarter Playlist:
Video Game Recommendations:
Resident Evil 2 (Remake) – Capcom
Review Score: A
I’m usually late to these types of things. I just can never justify paying full price for any new game. Especially with the way everything releases unfinished these days, I just have no problem waiting to get an actual polished project. Not to say this released in a bad state, though. In fact, it feels like the only games that do release complete are these remakes and remasters. So while I’m somewhat upset about the current state of the industry, I really liked this one.
I’m not a long time fan of the series. In fact this was the only one of these I’ve ever played to completion. The tension is done really well, especially those first few hours in the police station. I think this loses steam towards the end. But it’s not so long as to waste your time, even if the ending feels like a dramatic shift from the way the game starts.
Reading Recommendations:
I was prepared to recommend “Diary of an Oxygen Thief” for this month. But then the second half of the book happened and now all I can do is warn you to not waste your time with it.
Instead, I recommend this.
The Stranger – Albert Camus
Review Score:
A
This book reads like a contemplative, quick noir. The protagonist makes a life altering decision early on and then spends the rest of the story rethinking the choices that got them to this point. It’s a short read. And despite the relative absurdity of the character’s situation, it all feels grounded and relatable. Camus is as much a philosopher as he is a novelist, so his work is interesting if you’re in to that kind of thing.
Movie Recommendations:
Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3
Director: James Gunn
Review Score:
B
This is probably the last movie James Gunn writes and directs for the MCU for the foreseeable future. And it’s a shame, because his contributions are the best part of the franchise. He has turned these nobody, relative unknown characters into some of the most beloved in a lineup of heavy hitters. The superhero genre is a saturated one. But one in every three or four is a gem. This is worth the watch.
After Yang
Director: Kogonada
Review Score:
A-
Kogonada began as a video essayist. His first film, Columbus, is a masterpiece. It’s subtle, but very well done. He clearly puts a great deal of care into his work. After Yang blends soft sci-fi elements with a heartfelt story about family and humanity. It’s really beautifully done. It doesn’t hit quite as hard as Columbus for me, but few things do.
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