M3GAN mostly succeeds at being creepy and fantastical, with a little horror and suspense sprinkled in

M3GAN, which stands for Model 3 generative android, was probably the top horror movie on my list to watch over the past several months. And while it's an interesting sci-fi tale, with several gory scenes, it's pretty tame in terms of horror. That said, while a little creepy, it's a movie I think most people would enjoy checking out on Amazon Prime.

Here are some interesting things about the production:

1. I was wondering if the doll was an actual actor or CGI. But M3GAN was played by two actors: Amie Donald, who provided the doll's body movements, and Jenna Davis, who provided the doll's voice. 
2. Donald is a 12-year-old professional dancer who represented New Zealand at the Dance World Cup in 2019. This explains some of the wild dance and gymnastic-like moves by the doll.
3. M3GAN continues a nice turn for Girls' actor Allison Williams, known as the daughter of former NBC News anchor Brian Williams and who previously starred in Get Out, another movie that dabbles in horror but leans more towards making a statement on the human condition, in ways very similar to M3GAN actually. 
4. The movie was filmed in Auckland, New Zealand. The producers wanted to go there because of the tax breaks, the government support, the highly qualified film crew in place there, the beautiful scenery, and also becuase the producers admired the country's excellent COVID-19 response.
5. The filmmakers definitely have powerhouse resumes.
1. Director Gerard Johnstone is known for his work on the horror comedies Housebound, which looks like it's worth watching, and What We Do in the Shadows (I thought the TV show was pretty good but haven't seen the movie; incidentally, I's currently watching season 1 of True Blood, which is goofy great, but I may only have the headspace for one form of vampire entertainment at the moment).
2. Producer Jason Blum is the founder of Blumhouse Productions, which is known for producing really good horror movies such as the before-mentioned Get Out and The Babadook.
3. The script was written by James Wan and Ingrid Bisu. Wan is a well-known horror director who has directed movies such as Saw and The Conjuring. Bisu is an actress who has appeared in movies such as The Quiet Place Part II and Malignant.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Toy movie mania hits Hollywood. What toy movies do you want to see?

OK, I got my Barbie tickets for a showing this upcoming Sunday. The whole family is going as an early birthday present for my daughter's 10th. And it's now being announced that there are a ton of other toy-based movies in the works.

I'm not a big car-chase movie person, but a J.J. Abrams-produced Hot Wheels flick sounds promising.

If I'm going to a Barbie movie, I may as well sign up early for the inevitable American Girl one.

I really can't wait to see what MGM has in the works for a View-Master film! Sounds like it could be tiring on the eyes, as too many hours with that toy always was.

Lena Dunham, the Girls mastermind, is working on a Polly Pocket movie. I think it has something to do with a girl who has another girl stashed in her pocket, but correct me if I'm spreading fake news there. :-)

I don't know how the planned Magic 8 Ball movie could possibly be any good.

Jason Bateman's film based on the dolls Chatty Cathy and Betsy Wetsy sounds like something I won't dare miss. Oscar contender anyone?

Masters of the Universe sounds cool. 

I don't know what Major Matt Mason is but there's a flick planned for it.

Ryan Reynolds is going to be in a new Clue movie. That is still one of my favorite board games.

Rock 'Em Sock 'Em robots is a pretty cool idea. It's got Vin Diesel onboard.

I can think of a few more movies that should be made. Tops on my list is Stretch Monster. I'm always partial to him over Stretch Armstrong. But lots more people seem to remember Armstrong, a blonde muscleman. The two stretchy gel playthings that would inevitably break and ooze jelly fluid could be great in a movie together, but if the producers insist on breaking it into two different movies, I wouldn't object.

Something football themed could be great. I collected those little plastic helmets of all the teams, and I also had the big electric football game. I don't know how either of those could make a movie, but Hollywood apparently has greenlit that View-Master movie, so anything's possible at this point. There's always paper football and the Mattel handheld football games if more ideas are needed.

The great possibilities really never end. All the figures (the Six-Million Dollar Man and Star Wars come to mind). Wuppets (which is what we called them while collecting every color imaginable, but the Internet seems to call them Weepuls). Atari. The Fisher Price castle and other toys. Simple Simon.

Those are my ideas for today. What ideas do you have? Post them in the comments.

Experimenting with yellow chartreuse, one of my favorite new cocktail ingredients

La Valencia

For the past year or so, one of my new hobbies has become mixology. It happened because I had been buying more and more middle- to higher-shelf liquors and enjoying them increasingly on the rocks, with nothing else other than maybe some fizzy water. Eventually I started to feel my tastebuds were demanding more complexities. So then I thought about all the great looking drinks I was increasingly seeing out at bars and restaurants.

That's when it hit me that I could do that too! Maybe not always quite as well. But by this point, I'm getting to a point where I've been confident enough to make cocktails more often for gatherings of friends and family.

So when I come across particularly good creations, or at least interestings ones, I hope to share them with you all. My latest curiosity has been to start playing around with yellow chartreuse, which costs around $60 to $70 a bottle, but is well worth it since the path it takes to that bottle is extensive. According to Liquor.com, "To make Chartreuse, monks of the Carthusian order macerate a blend of more than 130 botanicals (herbs, spices, roots, barks, and flowers) in either a sugar-beet spirit base (for green chartreuse) or a grape spirit base (for yellow chartreuse)." This happens in the French Alps and the monks recently made headlines for announcing they would not increase the supply despite the growing demand.

I have focused on the yellow version because it pairs with bourbon, run, mezcal, and tequila (which are my areas of burgeoning talent), whereas green pairs better with vodka and gin cocktails. It has a vibrant yellow color and a complex herbal and aromatic honey and spice flavor, with the exact ingredients and proportions remaining a closely guarded secret by the monks.

Anyway, here are the four recipes I've been working with for yellow chartreuse that I'm happy to share with you:

Greenpoint

• 2 parts rye whiskey
• 1/2 part yellow chartreuse
• 1/2 part sweet vermouth
• 1 dash angustura bitters
• 1 dash orange bitters
• lemon garnish
• drink in a coupe glass

Naked and Famous

• 3/4 parts mezcal
• 3/4 parts aperol
• 3/4 parts lime juice
• 3/4 parts yellow chartreuse

The Last Word (Variation)

• 3/4 parts lime juice
• 1 part bourbon
• 3/4 parts yellow chartreuse (it’s supposed to be green chartreuse but yellow is delicious)
• cherry (I use cherry concentrate and little agave syrup for sweetness)
• lime garnish

And the one I tried for the first time last night is La Valencia

• 1 part whiskey
• 1 1/2 parts manzanilla sherry
• 1/2 part yellow chartreuse
• 3/4 parts lemon juice
• 1/2 part simple syrup
• 1 dash angustura bitters
• serve in a coupe glass

I had to substitute manzanilla sherry with dry vermouth and simple syrup with the jalepeno simple syrup I made earlier this week. Both substitutions worked really well, but I'm looking forward to the exact recipe one of these days.

If you have any yellow chartreuse recipes, please share them in the comments, and check out my second part of this blog, with more recipes.

PopCultureLunchBox.com is now PopCultureLunchBox.org!

Now I’m really a non-profit, independent organization. The .org proves it!

Actually, this site has always been non-profit, literally. But some of you may have recently noticed a “not secure” notice next to the URL. I’m not sure anyone actually ever needed to be worried, but I fixed that today by changing to a different domain.

Now back to our regularly scheduled information …

At year's end, Alex Lahey will be in the running for my favorite album

I don't use sneak preview what my year-end "best of" music lists will be, but as Saddam Hussein said in the South Park movie, "I can change."

Alex Lahey has been one of my favorite musical artists of the past decade, and the Australian's third album, The Answer is Always Yes, released early in the year, may be her best yet.

At the moment, she has albums by Geese, The Lemon Twigs, and Lil Yachty to contend with at the top.

Lahey debuted in my lists in 2017 with her first album, I Love You Like a Brother, at a moderate spot of #101. Knowing what I know now, I think I better revist that release.

In 2019, she took a great leap, finishing fourth on my list. The Best of Luck Club, I noted, was "post-Courtney Barnett awesome rock doing better than Courtney Barnett at Courtney Barnett." The same can be said about her latest. If you love Barnett, definitely check this out.

For more about Lahey, here are some interesting tidbits:

• She started playing guitar and saxophone when she was 13 years old.
• She studied art and jazz in college, but dropped out to release her debut EP, B-Grade University, in 2016, which I actually haven't heard yet and which includes a song called "Wes Anderson."
• She has toured with artists such as The 1975, The Killers, and Chvrches.
• She has been nominated for several awards, including Australian Album of the Year.
• She is known for her witty lyrics and her energetic live performances.
• She is a self-described "slacker" and has said that she doesn't like to take herself too seriously.
• She is a fan of 90s alternative rock and has said that her musical influences include bands like Nirvana, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Garbage.
• She is also a visual artist and has said that she enjoys using her music to explore themes of gender and identity.
• She is a vocal advocate for mental health awareness and has spoken out about her own experiences with anxiety and depression.

Finding an entryway into the challenging and rewarding writing of William Faulkner

William Faulkner was always a tricky writer for me growing up as a lit major in college. I loved the more direct, journalistic storytelling styles of Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Truman Capote, and Tom Wolfe the most. Authors like Faulkner, James Joyce, and Joseph Heller were always much more difficult to decipher. And can you blame me for gravitating to entertaining reads over ones that sometimes take a lot of mental power to comprehend? 

But knowing that, despite digging pretty deeply into Faulkner's classic Absolom, Absolom! during college and loving The Sound and the Fury (my 49th favorite novel of all time), I feel I never gave the iconic Southern writer enough of my time. So I thought it would be good to give a few short stories my attention.

“A Rose for Emily” (1930): His first published short story is a Southern Gothic powerhouse with similarities to Hitchcock’s Psycho. Miss Emily Grierson lived with her father in their Confederate home in a fictional town called Jefferson, Mississippi, and when he dies, the mayor forgives her property taxes so she can afford to stay in the house. But the next generation on the city council comes along and wants her to pay taxes. She refuses and continues living there without ever going out. She eventually invites a Northern sidewalk contractor into her home to marry her. After her death, those going in to clean up the house discover his skeleton in her bed alongside strands of her own hair. 

What propels the story into the acclaimed spot of Faulkner’s best short story (that I’ve read) is the character of Miss Emily herself. She is complex and fascinating, both proud and fairly pathetic, and both admired and mocked by the townspeople. She is unable to come to terms with a society rapidly changing from the way things were before and during the Civil War.

5 out of 5 stars

“That Evening Sun” (1931): Also taking place in Jefferson, this is about a white family that has a nearby Black woman named Nancy wash their clothes and prepare breakfasts. She has suffered all kinds of indignities in her life, including the town’s banker kicking out her teeth and her madman husband running out on her. She is scared of her husband, Jesus, and wants to sleep at the white family’s house and play with their three children, one of whom is the story’s narrator (a rare instance of a young boy being the narrator in a Faulkner story). The text is a bit jarring because of extensive use of racist language, but it’s also a powerful vignette of how white and Black people coexisted, somewhat, 100 years ago in the U.S. South.

It’s also very sad and a tragic glimpse into the offhanded violent racism and lack of basic human caring during that era. Faulkner’s typically cryptic language makes it a little difficult to understand that Jesus has apparently returned and killed Nancy at the end. About the only clue is little Quintin the narrator’s question to his dad asking who will do their laundry now after they all hear the sounds of Nancy supposedly being murdered. It’s heartbreaking to witness the white adults acting with such little empathy while Quintin and the kids can’t quite figure out why the adults act they ways they do.

Perhaps most notable of all about this story is that it’s a prequel to The Sound and the Fury, as the three kids are same Compson family children who go on to narrate much of that classic novel’s further falling, 20 some years later, of this once prominent family.

4.5 out of 5 stars

"Dry September" (1931): 

This story begins in a town barbershop, where a debate ensues about whether a young Black man named Will Mayes "attacked, insulted, frightened" a 40-year-old white bachelorette named Minnie Cooper. Without anyone having any idea what may have happened, a barber is convinced Will couldn't have done anything while several others get more and more heated in their beliefs that he did do "it." This comes to a head when McLendon, a World War I veteran with a gun, bursts through the doors and gathers people to help him find Will. The barber tries to stop them before eventually getting thrown out of their moving vehicle. Meanwhile, Minnie is out with friends at the movies where she appears to break down and, seemingly too late for Will, appears to suggest that nothing happened.

The again typical suggestiveness (Faulkner doesn't tend to spell things out easily for readers) leaves the whole tale as a bit of a mystery, which is probably why people either love the author or don't understand his writing. What is clear is that Faulkner is dropping a serious and very accurate account of the power of rumor and the dangers of mob mentality in the lynch mob-happy culture of the American South in the early 1900s. He does a good job of starting the story showing that (at least most of these) people are not evil but can get swayed into violently taking the law into their own hands via groupthink.

If you're unsure where to start with William Faulkner, before getting to his novels, "A Rose for Emily" and "Dry September" are accessible and beautifully written, and are my recommendations as the top entry points.

4.5 out of 5 stars

"Spotted Horses" (1931): This is the one story here I would not recommend as a starting spot. Although not set in Jefferson - it takes place in Frenchman's Bend, Mississippi - many of the usual themes of Faulkner's recur, namely a place struggling to escape the shadow of the Civil War. The story follows the events that take place after a group of men are tricked into buying a herd of wild horses from traveling salesman Flem Snopes. The horses run wild, and they cause all sorts of havoc in the town. 

This may be the funniest, most slaptick tale of this batch, which contrasts a bit with the downtrodden characters. While it is my least favorite of these five stories, it is still well worth reading if you enjoy the other four beforehand.

4 out of 5 stars

“That Will Be Fine” (1935): This is the story of a boy named Georgie who is involved in helping his Uncle Rodney carry out criminal schemes that his uncle will likely never compensate him for, while he is hoping to make a little money to buy his grandpa a Christmas present. He spends so much time working with his uncle that he runs out of time to get the present so, by the end, he tries to chase a possum to give to his grandpa.

This story comes along a few years after his first published stories, and it shows the development of his distinctive style. The story is told in a stream-of-consciousness style, which allows Faulkner to explore the inner thoughts and feelings of his characters in much detail. Set again in Jefferson, the story provides a glimpse into the lives of the people who live there and how they are being affected by the social and economic changes occuring rapidly in the early 1900s.

4 out of 5 stars

Overall, Faulkner is clearly one of the masters and his work remains powerful, relevant, and entertaining, not to mention challenging.

Daisy Jones & the Six can rock out in a book, and the band is maybe even better on the screen

You've seen me rave here before about the entertaining novels of Taylor Jenkins Reid. Well, my wife and I finally just got through the TV adaption on Amazon Prime of Daisy Jones & the Six, which I consider my third-favorite TJR novel behind The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Malibu Rising.

We loved this adaptation. In fact, it may be the relatively rare case of the show being better than the book. Even if the story is possibly less suspenseful than the real-life story of Fleetwood Mac (there are seemingly winking and frequent parallels between DJ6 and FM), TJR's hallmark twists, the built-in cliffhangers that make it work so well for TV, and exceptional acting top the highlights for this production.

It's a very cool element that TJR actually wrote the show's music and the cast actually sings and plays it. I need to listen more to the songs, but while they definitely work well in propelling the story and capturing a 1970s arena-rock vibe, the songs also don't jump out at me as truly great upon hearing them throughout the 10-episode show.

Riley Keough, Elvis Presley's granddaughter, is particularly good as Daisy Jones, and she brings a lot of charisma and energy to the role. Sam Claflin is also great as Billy Dunne, and he has sizzling chemistry with Keough. The supporting cast is also very good, and they all bring their own unique personalities.

Fittingly, the show is full of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, and the power that music holds, but it also shows the darker side of the lifestyle, such as the accompanying problems of addiction and the euphoric feelings of love and loss sometimes heightened by drug use. 

Some reviews (while offering near-universal praise) have groused about the documentary format because it hints that the whole band has lived to reflect 20 years later on those wild 1970s. But simply put, Daisy Jones & the Six, in my book, beats out Vinyl as the best fictional rock and roll TV show of all time.

5 out of 5 stars

TV Snide: June 2023

TV Show of the Month: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia - Season 1 (Hulu): I started watching this hilarious show in Season 2 all those years ago and just now got back to the opening season. The Gang really hits their stride by the time the classic Episode 6 (The Gang Finds a Body) comes along and we learn that Dee can’t stomach old people and thet Dee and Dennis’s grandfather was a Nazi. 5 out of 5 stars

Barry - Season 1 (HBO Max): SNL’s Bill Hader finds his Walter White-like role of a lifetime, and he’s won two Emmys to prove it, as a former Marine hitman who stumbles upon Henry Winkler’s acting studio and falls a bit in love with acting as well as the actress played by Sarah Goldberg. Funny and moving. 5 out of 5 stars

Movies of the Month: Spider-Man: Inside the Spider-Verse (Amazon): This 2018 is a masterpiece of cartooning. Although I had already seen it, I watched it again so I would be prepped for the new sequel, Spider-Man: Across the Spider Verse, which I also saw this month and it's just as good. Miles Morales is a young Brooklynite who enters a world of many Spider-Mans, including himself, with the typical battles against villains ensuing, but with the aforementioned perfect and mind-boggling production values. 5 out of 5 stars

Piranha (Sling TV): There remained nowhere safe left to swim after 1977’s Jaws and then this one in 1978. The titular fish are accidentally released from a science center high above a series of rivers and lakes that lead to the ocean. The cinematography and character studies are downright excellent and this is definitely a hidden gem of the 70s. The depictions of children at camp getting devoured by the fish is, as Quentin Tarantino recently noted in his excellent podcast Video Archives, undertaken almost with unrequited glee. 5 out of 5 stars

Short Stories of the Month: Chinua Achebe, “Civil Peace” and “Dead Men’s Path:” This classic Nigerian writer taught at the University of Massachusetts - Amherst and once gave a speech about the racism inherent in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Today we might lean towards calling it inherent bias, but his points were made and they were made strongly, much more so because it was a speech made in 1974. “Civil Peace” from 1971 tells the story of Jonathan Iwegbu, who has made it through the constant Nigerian war with most of his house and family intact. Even still, in peace, there are thieves looking to gather any cent he earns. Better yet is 1953’s “Dead Men’s Path.” Michael Obi takes over as schoolmaster of a run-down and “progressive” school. When he and his wife beautify the grounds and block a path that villagers believe their “dead relatives depart by it and ancestors visit by it.” When Michael does not relent to the priest, saying that old way of thinking is exactly what the school’s new way of thinking is trying to replace, nearly the entire school grounds are destroyed in the night, with the supervisor arriving the next day to give damning remarks about Michael’s efforts. 4.5 out of 5 stars and 5 out of 5 stars respectively

Novel of the Month: The Swell, by Allie Reynolds: This novel kept me interested all the way through in the story of three men and three women who claim an isolated beach in a national forest of Australia all to themselves. But the place is far from a paradise. Blending Keanu Reeves’ Point Break with Lost, the premise is the biggest star of this story about how facing your fears can have deadly consequences. 4 out of 5 stars.

The Late Americans by Brandon Taylor: This is a captivating read especially since there was a strong chance I was once headed to the University of Iowa for grad school. I picked Georgetown in the end, but I love coming-of-age stories like this one of grad students from the dance, poetry, and fiction departments and their interactions between themselves and the townies of Iowa City. It loses steam a little at the end but is still a solid read about the choices young people make in shaping their lives. 4 out of 5 stars

I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson - Season 1 (Netflix): This wackball comedy is definitely not to everyone's taste, but I like it quite a bit. From the old weirdo who has held a lifetime grudge towards a baby that cried on an airplane to the recurring bit about the shirt that has a knob to help dudes pull it away from their bellies, this very short season has lots to enjoy. 4 out of 5 stars

“The Real Thing,” by Henry James (1891): This short story is representative of the author’s work. He would take an idea, a small slice of life and expand upon it (mainly for however many words were required by the magazine editors who might accept it). This is a simple, yet engaging, piece about an artist who likes “sitters,” or subjects, that his friends don’t think to be compelling. 4 out of 5 stars

You People (Netflix): Excellent performances from Jonah Hill and Lauren London as well as Eddie Murphy and Julia Louis-Dreyfus save a little bit of a sappy rom-com that tackles race relations between a Jewish man and a Black woman who want to get married but have a lot of family and cultural issues standing in the way. Light fun on a tough topic. 3.5 out of 5 stars 

Katherine Ann Porter, “Thief,” “The Cracked Looking-Glass,” and “Maria Concepcion”: “Thief” is a small snapshot that seems it could be of its publication date of 1935 or from anytime. It tells a one-night journey of a women and her purse. She drinks with three different men in New York City to find her purse stolen by the “janitoress” after she returns home. The two share heated words about who needs or deserves the purse more. “The Cracked Looking-Glass" from 1933 is better. It’s about an Irish immigrant couple that have made their way after a while outside Boston, even though their style still fights against their more reserved neighbors. “Maria Concepcion” is Porter’s first published short story, from 1922. The tale of a Mexican peasant woman who murders her husband’s lover and is then protected from the police by her husband is my least favorite of this sampling from Porter and seems fairly half baked. 3.5 out of 5 stars, 4 out of 5 stars, and 2.5 out of 5 stars respectively

My favorite albums 90 albums of 2022 (plus some other opinions)

I'm publishing this a little late again this year, but hey, the competition for year-end lists is nonexistent right now. So enjoy, and I hope you find some gems to delve into.

Def Leppard

Biggest Disappointments: Arcade Fire's WE was supposed to be a big rock happening and it certainly does have ambitions, but even the best tracks never propel and often come off like second-rate Tom Petty or Bjork. A new Hoodoo Gurus album is always welcome, but Chariot of the Gods is mostly awful except two or three pretty-good tunes. Red Hot Chili Peppers really push the limits of taste and editing with Unlimited Love, which has two songs ("Not the One" and "It's Only Natural") I like and a whole slew I don't. The same can be said of the over-stuffed (I guess at least they were prolific this year) Return of the Dream Canteen. Jack White's Fear of the Dawn has lots of creative exploratory sounds but it's mostly guitar wankery bordering on rap-rock that isn't very enjoyable. Sondra Lerche's Avatars of Love has him reaching for tuneless melodies. Old Crow Medicine Show's Paint This Town is by far the least inspired effort I've ever heard from the best bluegrass rock band around. Sunflower Bean made my 2018 and 2019 lists but there's nothing memorable from Headful of Sugar. It's a little unfair to put Def Leppard's Diamond Star Halos release in this category because it's actually pretty good, but it's also pretty unneccessary. As a long-time fan, it pains me to say that of Montreal's I Feel Safe With You, Trash is too weird for me, even if it is a warped version of other greats like The Bee Gees, Prince, and Pink Floyd. Same goes for the band's Freewave Lucifer f>ck f>ck f>ck ... And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead's XI: BLEED HERE NOW is overblown in the band's usual way but with far fewer hooks than usual. King Princess's Hold On Baby was one I was really looking forward to but the entire thing flails wildly and unenjoyably. Broken Bells' INTO THE BLUE ends the string of strong side-project releases from the leaders of The Shins and Danger Mouse. The Smashing Pumpkins' ATUM - Act 1 has a few ok tunes, but most of it isn't good and some is just embarrasing.

Best EPs: Weezer keeps prolifically pumping out music with SZNZ: Spring and it's all excellent emo-power-pop. Same goes for SZNZ: Summer and SZNZ: Winter. If you love rock music, there’s simply no excuse for not finding something to love in the music of these consummate pros. Waxahatchee's El Deafo is a minor release for work she did for an Apple TV kids show, but any Waxahatchee is great Waxahatchee. Michael Beatty's 42nd Street Hymn displays my friend's Elton John-level piano playing with a beautiful lyrical trip around the Big Apple. PJ Western's Here I Go is three tunes of groovy rock from L.A. that I know nothing else about.

Lemonheads

Best Reissues/Box Sets: Lemonheads' It's a Shame About Ray (30th Annversary) is one of my favorite albums by one of my favorite artists, and I own almost everything on offer here already, but it's a great place to start for those unaware of the magic of leader Evan Dando. While not technically a reissue, Tegan and Sara's Still Jealous is an acoustic retelling of many of their best songs and it offers more insight into how great their songwriting has been over the years. Pavement's Terror Twilight: Farewell Horizontal continues the massive remastering and compiling project of the band's albums, and repeat listens to this one reveal what seemed like a lesser release at the time to be a direction-changing masterpiece. Lou Reed's I'm So Free: The 1971 MCA Demos is a perfect quiet setting for this great setlist to display its beauty and, it can be said, early perfection. Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (Deluxe Edition) is a massive collection of the songs in various formats from that album; for serious die-hards but also great to just shuffle all day. The Beatles' Revolver (Deluxe) is a fun and important listen once or twice, but the final versions of all these songs are so perfectly selected out of all the outtakes, that the band should be given a reward for so strikingly recognizing their best material so consistently. Blondie's Against the Odds: 1974-1982 reminded me how much I actually love this band and how much deeper its catalog of key cuts goes beyond the greatest hits.

Best Live Albums: The Beatles' Get Back (Rooftop Performance) is so similar to the Let It Be recordings that it's hardly necessary; that said, it also shows how amazing The Beatles live would have been in the second half of the band's career. Elvis Presley's Elvis on Tour is a pretty stunning box set (I honestly have only listened to the Hampton Roads show) of late-period Elvis. He was a swinging, loose, really cool dude at this point.

Lainey Wilson

90. Lainey Wilson: Bell Bottom Country (I quite like a handful of the more Gaga-like ballads on this release, but the rest is way too mainstream country cheese)

89. The Volunteered: We Fall Apart (this London band bills itself as "a less miseable Sparklehorse." I'm there)

88. Chime School: Chime School (this San Francisco outlet is perfect for anyone who prefers their rock in the jangle form of The Byrds, R.E.M., and Tom Petty)

87. Cheap Star: Wish I Could See You (this Euro band harkens to the sounds of 1990s indie more than Cheap Trick and Big Star, but it's not far from those 70s bands either)

86. Liam Gallagher: C'MON YOU KNOW (this review is the same as Lainey Wilson's above, but replace "mainstream country" with "Britpop")

85. Julia Jacklin: PRE PLEASURE (this Australian's cool dirges paint warm pictures, with the album's first four songs as the highlights)

84. Personal Trainer: Big Love Blanket (this Amsterdam outfit markets in party songs along the lines of LCD Soundsystem and the New Pornographers)

83. Neil Young with Crazy Horse: Toast (there are plenty of stinkers here but when Neil is at his best, as with about three songs on this release, he still reaches heights of beautiful glory)

82. Silversun Pickups: Physical Thrills (this band still throws back to Smashing Pumpkins territory, and it knows how to write a song, as evidenced by the five tunes I love here, but it also knows how to not sound very good, as evidenced by the rest)

81. Mason Jennings: Real Heart (the Minneapolis pop-folkster who released several really good albums in the early 2000s has laid pretty low lately, but this is an enjoyable minor return)

80. Jack Johnson: Meet the Moonlight (a pretty minor, but still quietly beautiful as always, release from the surfman)

Superorganism

79. Superorganism: World Wide Pop (this isn't as good as the band's debut four long years ago, with too much vocoder and wack-job stuff thrown into the kitchen sink, and even the Stephen Malkmus contributions don't match his standards, but it's still an intriguing listen)

78. Destroyer: LABYRINTHITIS (By Destroyer standards, this is a real misfire. But he sets the bar high for himself, and while this release never really takes off, like the not-quite-great 7-minute opening track, it's still somewhat addictive)

77. Sea Power: Everything Was Forever (I'll always love this British space-rock band, even if this release is not quite as great as past records like Do You Like Rock Music and The Decline of British Sea Power)

76. Dehd: Blue Skies (this is my first exposure to this Chicago indie-rock three-piece, but their stuttering and lo-key approach is right up my alley)

75. Drive By Truckers: Welcome to Club XIII (this seems to have been inspired by a trip to a gentleman's club and is a pretty middle-of-the-road DBT release, which means pretty darn good)

74. Willie Nelson: A Beautiful Time (I love Willie so much and this album has a bunch of stand-out tracks, especially on the second half)

73. Ryan Adams: Chris (this is epically long and there are very few standout tracks, but it's still a good alt-country listen throughout) 

72. Craig Finn: A Legacy of Rentals (this one from The Hold Steady's leader borders on going into the Biggest Disappointment category because it tails off severely in the second half, but there happen to be about five poetically tight jams at the top)

71. Will Sheff: Nothing Special (Okkervil River and Shearwater's frontman goes out on his own for this one and offers a tender slice into the beautiful mind and world of one of indie rocks's most compelling artists)

Steve Lacy

70. Steve Lacy: Gemini Rights (the former Internet guitarist has a quirky, Peter Brady-voice way about him that lends originality to the world of R&B)

69. Pink Mountaintops: Peacock Pools (the Canadian freak stoner pop this band puts out is always a treat; there are a handful of greatest-hits worthy tunes and the rest is all interestingly groovy weird)

68. Josh Rouse: Going Places (I always like his pop-leaning folk and this one is no exception, lots of great little tunes to hum, kind of in the Jack Johnson mold)

67. Willie Nelson: American Rebel (prolific as always, Willie covers 18 early 60s tunes, with his usual Willie awesomeness. Highlight: Why Are You Pickin' On Me?)

66. Robyn Hitchcock: Shufflemania (after a break from songwriting during the pandemic, the modern answer to Syd Barrett is back in rocking, weird, pop style)

65. Helen Love: This is My World (this punky pop is a fiesty slice of life in Wales, from a group that's been around for a long time but this being my first exposure to them. Depressing yet still fun)

64. Harry Styles: Harry's House (like Craig Finn's album, this one has a great batch of party-pop tunes at the beginning then tails off quite a bit in the second half)

63. My Idea: CRY MFER (this starts out with two tunes that sound like long-lost Blake Babies classics, and there are moments later but it's way too long. Makes the list for Cry Mfer and Crutch alone)

LATE ENTRY: Diners: Four Wheels and the Truth (a little twee release that has a very solid five songs and a handful of other good ones; this is a Phoenix band with several previous albums I haven't listened to yet)

62. Ryan Adams: Romeo & Juliet (this suffers from being way too long. With an editor, this release and Chris would have been two of the year's best)

61. Ryan Adams: FM (this is the best of the troubled artist's whopping three releases in 2022, partly because it's all enjoyable but mostly because he edits it down to a manageable 10 tracks, unlike his other epically long releases)

Militarie Gun

60. Militarie Gun: All Roads Lead to the Gun (Deluxe) (melodic hardcore out of Seattle that sounds like Fugazi with ultra-catchy guitars and accompanying vocals that often swoop in beautifully)

59. Christian Lee Hutson: Quitters (this L.A. songwriter is new to me, and the album is beautiful throughout, in an Elliot Smith rowdy-folk sort of way)

58. EELS: Extreme Witchcraft (this doesn't quite reach the pinnacle of early 2000s EELS, but it's still consistently catchy pop by a band that is difficult to peg into any specific genre)

57. Young Guv: GUV III (this is a nice upgrade from 2019's already-excellent gem from this L.A. power-pretty-pop band)

56. The Linda Lindas: Growing Up (this buzz band's pre-album singles conquered the world with feel goodism during covid, taking a tip from the school of Best Coast punk pop)

55. Girlpool: Forgiveness (some of these songs are throwaways, but enough of them are beautiful and weird and harken back to Girls, one of my favorite dreamy bands from a decade ago)

54. Kurt Vile: (watch my moves) (this album is way too long but it's still always listenable freak pop)

53. Leah Weller: Freedom (this is more up the Norah Jones easy-listening aisle than what I normally listen to. But she's legendary Paul Weller's daughter, and on multiple listens, it's more mellower Lady Gaga than it is Style Council)

52. Ty Segall: "Hi, Hello" (a surpringly great entry from this freak, whose releases have been hit-or-miss over the years; it's like a gorgeous update of George Harrison's All Things Must Pass)

51. Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Cool It Down (this is a compact little release, but it packs a high ratio of great tunes, I would say more than the average YYY release)

50. Rhett Miller: The Misfit (the Old 97s leader starts this solo release out with a bang of several classics in a row; it tails off a bit but still ends up as a pop gem)

49. Jake Xerxes Fussell: Good and Green Again (maybe with the exception of Bill Callahan, this North Carolina sonwriter is putting out some of the very best folk music around)

Jesse Malin

48. Jesse Malin: Glitter in the Gutter (while not as great as his 2021 release, this New Yorker is experiencing a serious career resurgence, and people like Bruce Springsteen, guesting here, are noticing)

LATE ENTRY: Ben Lee: I'M FUN (I didn't hear this until Summer 2023, but the first half is classic Ben Lee singer songwriting feel-good jams)

47. Dumb: Pray for Tomorrow (this long-player from a band of Vancouver punks should satisfy those who lament the lack of any Pavement or Parquet Courts new releases in 2022)

46. The Weeknd: Dawn FM (he continues to carry the Thriller-era Michael Jackson torch, and while there is some filler, there are also a lot of dreamy big hits)

45. BaLonely: Thank You, I'm Sorry (an exciting debut from these Washington state indie-rock kids with a good sense of playfulness in their lyrics and angular guitars)

44. Jack White: Entering Heaven Alive (a catchy set of numbers ranging from jaunty bluegrass to Going to California-style Zep, this is a top-notch addition to the White Striper's catalogue)

43. Guided by Voices: Crystal Nuns Cathedral (there is a lot less bang for the buck thoughout this release from my second-favorite band, but even a more minor GBV release is better that 99.9% of the rest)

42. The Regrettes: Further Joy (these L.A. punkers have gone full-on Top 40 pop, and it's the right decision, with a whole slew of outta-be megahits)

41. Bill Callahan: REALITY - spelled backwards (another darkly satisfying release from the ex-Smog master; it often takes repeat listens to understand and appreciate his indie sob pop, but it's almost always a satifying experience)

40. Belle and Sebastian: A Bit of Previous (it's always great to have more lite-pop from Glasgow's second best band, behind Teenage Fanclub)

Bill Callahan

39. Soccer Mommy: Sometimes, Forever (one of the biggest stars these days on the indie scene broadens her horizons by touching on several big-guitar genres)

38. Plains (with Waxahatchee): I Walked With You A Ways (a beautiful little, alt-country, bluegrass-y side project release that is one of the undeniable uplifters of the year)

37. Alvvays: Blue Rev (these Canadians make kind of a splash when they release a new album, with only three over the past decade and this is the first in 5 years; driving dream shoegaze)

36. Sloane: Steady (the Canadian rockers release a new batch of super catchy pop gems)

35. Mapache: Roscoe's Dream (I discovered this band this year, which regales us with tales of its tour dog amidst California sunshine pop mixed with touches of Grateful Dead)

34. Michael Head and The Red Elastic Band: Dear Scott (this gorgeous soft Britpop release starts off perfect for the first six songs then tails off a bit at the end)

33. Say Sue Me: The Last Thing Left/10 (I'm grouping these two release as one by these South Koreans obsessed with indie-rock. One album focuses on original material and the other covers classic bands like Pavement, Guided by Voices, and Yo La Tengo)

Lola Kirke

32. Lola Kirke: Lady for Sale (this is definitely a strange one for the list, with the Mozart in the Jungle actor coming along in full goofball pop Dolly Parton mode; it's infectious. "New country" should take pointers)

32. Urge Overkill: Oui (one of my favorite bands of the 1990s is back doing the same glam-pomp-rock it became known for from Pulp Fiction; while there aren't particular standouts, it should prove to be a solid listen for many years)

31. Guided By Voices: Tremblers and Goggles by Rank (this release goes a little proggier than usual, with two songs even longer than 5 minutes, but it is a hard rock-pop jam)

30. beabadoobee: Beatopia (the next-generation Julianna Hatfield always keeps listeners on their toes with inspired and creative indie pop)

29. Eddie Vedder: Earthling (I know, you love him or you hate him ... but the Pearl Jam frontman shows that he is definitely a mega part of why that band has become so legendary, writing several songs here that are as good as anything PJ has ever done)

28. Robert Pollard: Our Gaze (GBV's Pollard pulls a Taylor Swift to re-record 15 of the songs from two harder-to-find 2007 releases; there are at least five classic cuts, with plenty of others to absorb)

27. Sarah Shook & the Disarmers: Nightroamer (this isn't quite as great as the North Carolina band's first two LPs, but it is definitely my favorite current Uncle Tupelo-styled country punk)

26. Built to Spill: When the Wind Forgets Your Name (BTS is back with a Perfect From Now On-type set that harkens back to the band's best pop since the 1990s)

25. Conan Gray: Superache (this is the male version of Olivia Rodrigo, pleading and temperamental, but ultimately touching and confessional and innovative Top 40 pop) 

Lucius

24. Lucius: Second Nature (the dance tracks feel like ABBA and Donna Summer and the ballads take me back to the Lada Gaga-led A Star Is Born soundtrack, which was also mushy claptrap that I couldn't get enough of)

23. Tegan and Sara: Crybaby (a nice understated pop return by indie's answer to Taylor Swift)

22. Pixies: Doggerel (Frank Black and his Pixies have been treading water for a while after a tremendous hot streak from the 1980s to the 2000s, but this one brings the non-stop post-punk jams)

21. Fantastic Negrito: White Jesus Black Problems (this is groovy and poppy in places and dives into Funkadelic-style freakiness in others, cross jumping a bunch of genres. Awesome)

20. Wet Leg: Wet Leg (this British band's debut came with about as much buzz as it gets in the indie-rock world. There are a handful of hard-driving and funny pop classics, several other very good songs, and a few that will not age well)

19: I Was a King: Follow Me Home (these Norwegians almost out-Elf Power Elf Power with their gentle psychedelic pop-rock; I wish more bands played this type of music this well)

18. Elf Power: Artificial Countrysides (these Athens, Georgia psych-poppers might be incapable of making a bad song, meeting somewhere between Pink Floyd, the Beatles, and Sebadoh)

17. Carley Rae Jepsen: The Loneliest Time (for my money, Jepsen is the closest artist to a threat in the Taylor Swift genre of dance/good-mood Top 40 pop; like Swift, she rarely has a less-than-stellar song these days)

16. Spoon: Lucifer on the Sofa (this Austin band just keeps getting better. In a more just world there would be a large handful of Top 10 hits from this release, with several interludes of beautiful ambient pop-rock to round it out)

Spiral Stairs

15: Spiral Stairs: Medley Attack (often unfairly forgotten in the brilliance of Stephen Malkmus and Pavement is Spiral Stairs, and he comes back with an understated and, frankly, very fun and humorous blast of throwing a lot of pop at the walls. It all sticks)

14: Wilco: Cruel Country (a massive injection of mellow country into the band's catalog, this one keeps growing and growing on me, like Uncle Tupelo's March 16-20, 1992 did all those years ago)

13: Band of Horses: Things Are Great (this is no great step forward for the band, but the record as a whole is just kind of perfect, refining all the best elements of past releases into a solid and constant beautiful flow)

12: Orville Peck: Bronco (this is my favorite country - with some twists - artist in a long time. His second full-length proves Peck is no flash in the pan, and there is a good laugh or chuckle on average at least once a song)

11. Freedy Johnston: Back on the Road to You (this is another blast from the past, with this album maybe being even better than his classic ‘90s This Perfect World. If you want straight-forward singer-songwriter pop, this is as good as it gets)

10. Archers of Loaf: Reason in Decline (the Chapel Hill legends' first album in 24 years may be 2022's biggest treat; the band is angry at the times we're living in, turning it into essential melodic post-punk)

Archers of Loaf

09: Bruce Foxton and Russell Hastings: The Butterfly Effect (it's amazing how much Foxton's voice sounds Paul Weller's voice from late-era Jam, as the band swayed a bit from the punk more into the pop that would become The Style Council; this might be the best Jam-related release since that prime era, which is saying a lot)

08. Big Joanie: Back Home (this British band of punk girls fuzzes a complicated and buzzy collection of songs that are a little like Pixies if that group were still great)

07. Superchunk: Wild Loneliness (this is simply a perfect collection of songs, and there is ample reason to think it may go down as Superchunk's most epic, greatest album, which is saying a lot)

06. Alex Cameron: Oxy Music (this play on Roxy Music may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's an innovative soft pop masterpiece in a growing line of the like from this artsy Aussie)

05. Kiwi Jr.: Chopper (this Toronto band has been simmering at the border of greatness throughout their first two albums and they hit on all cylinders for release #3; plus, if we can't have a new Pavement album, at least we have this)

04. Phoenix: Alpha Zulu (this is a joyous collection of new music from France's finest; I wasn't expecting a comeback this great, essential, timeless, and dancefloor-ready)

03. The Beths: Expert in a Dying Field (New Zealand's answer to Courtney Barnett takes a top-3 spot on my list for a second time, after 2020's Jump Rope Gazers did so. The band makes pop that cheers me up every time I hear it)

Taylor Swift

02. The Afghan Whigs: How Do You Burn? (I didn't foresee this happening, and maybe I love it so much because I binged it over and over while finally down with my first-ever count of covid, but this is a gorgeous slow-grower from one of my favorite bands of the 1990s. Greg Dulli and company issue their finest release since 1993's Gentlemen. It starts off sounding like 1990's Up in It and progresses to more of a Gentlemen vibe, even including Dulli's female double Susan Marshall back in the mix on some vocals) 

01. Taylor Swift: Midnights (she is an unstoppable force; the only thing negative I can say is maybe the last two songs on the 3 am edition aren't necessary. The rest is perfect, conversational lyrics to the max and all)

TV Snide: May 2023

TV Show of the Month: The Bear - Season 1 (Hulu): A Chicagoland beef joint goes through growing pains as one brother dies, leading the way for brother Carmen to return from his tour working at top restaurants around the world. He has serious brother issues to work out, but finds a family in the restaurant’s co-workers. An incredibly special cast is led by Jeremy Allen White of Shameless fame and Ayo Edibiri, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and L-Boy. There are parts that take me way back to my college years working at IMO’s Pizza. And it’s a beautiful thing. 5 out of 5 stars 

The Sex Lives of College Girls - Season 1 (HBO Max): This was a surprise. I thought this might be something to see on a whim and give up after an episode or two. But several friends’ recommendations were not wrong. This is the modern version of Beverly Hills 90210, but, dare I say, funnier. The four roommates are all needles in the haystack. The casting directors should win awards. The story is that these girls are just trying to make it through the start of college, and it truly takes me back to my freshman year, in a way that no other show has ever done for me. 5 out of 5 stars

Concert of the Month: The New Pornographers at 9:30 Club in DC: The band, although without weirdo Dan Bejar, was firing on all cylinders with a greatest hits set that included some top-notch additions from their new release. The only song I wish they would have played was “Letter to an Occupant” from Mass Romantic. But adding to the excellence of the evening was the fact that friend Alexis beelined me, Kevin, his friend Mark, and Ruben up to near the stage, something I don’t do that often anymore, and the early start time was pretty nice for we old folks as well. 5 out of 5 stars.

Short Story of the Month: “Babylon Revisited,” by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1931): Charlie has returned to Paris two years after ending up in a sanitarium because of his wife’s death during the heyday of post-Depression cafe society. He is making the case to his sister-in-law and her husband that he is well enough now to take back custody of his young daughter Honoria. The plan appears to be that he will take her back to his home in Prague, but then two bad actors from his wild days resurface and put custody of his daughter back into question. A wonderful snippet of that time and place. Fitzgerald is obviously a true master of fiction. 5 out of 5 stars

Movie of the Month: The Blair Witch Project (Paramount Plus): The best thing about watching this for a first time, like my son just did, is going in cold and not knowing whether this is real or fiction. I remember back to when I first saw it and being pretty terrified about the creepy found footage from the Maryland woods. The pure unprofessionalism of it all is what makes it so oddly compelling. One of the top horror flicks of the 1990s. 5 out of 5 stars

The Natural (Showtime): I always thought I had already seen this 1984 classic, but I hadn’t, so it was extra special to watch with my 15-year-old son. Robert Redford plays the amiable and talented Roy Hobbs, who gets shot right as his pro baseball career is taking off. He makes a comeback for the New York Knights 16 years later and battles his way through crooked owners and lousy ladies to find a sweet path that includes childhood sweetheart Glenn Close. 5 out of 5 stars

“Pet Milk,” by Stuart Dybek is a romantic little read that seems perfectly of its 1984 time, and I also somehow feel I read it at some point long long ago. It oddly starts with an image of the narrator’s grandmother serving Pet milk as coffee creamer and then takes us through the 22-year-old on a date that ends with him making love to his girlfriend in the L back from downtown Chicago to her place in Evanston as other passengers look on from platforms they pass. 5 out of 5 stars

Only Murders in the Building - Season 2 (Hulu): Anyone who is a fan of Selena Gomez or Steve Martin or Martin Short will definitely like this mix of wacky humor and solid murder mystery. The gang tries to solve the killing of an elderly woman in the building, leading them through a raft of possible suspects, including Tina Fey. 4.5 out of 5 stars

30 for 30: Elway to Marino (ESPN): This is a great story of what was to be the first major NFL Draft event with fans attending in person and TV cameras capturing every move. When Pete Rozell calls John Elway’s name first overall to the Baltimore Colts, it sparks bidding wars throughout the league, as Elway refuses to play for Owner Robert Irsay and a management style under which he doesn’t think he’ll find success. Meanwhile, Dan Marino of the University of Pittsburgh doesn’t go until #23, which is particularly painful to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Coach Chuck Noll refused to grab him and, as fate would have it, Terry Bradshaw would suffer a career-ending elbow injury in the first game of the year and their pick Gabriel Rivera was paralyzed six weeks later in a car crash. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (Wheaton AMC): This series is wildly entertaining to me, someone who doesn’t get too excited about most superhero movies. Star Lord and the gang are back to save Rocket Raccoon, who is the focus of this chapter. His backstory is revealed, which includes escaping from an animal experiment prison and going on to become a world-class pilot and member of the Guardians. Does the battling and destruction the gang faces in this one, including a major battle on an alternate Earth, mean the end of their nucleus? It sure seems like it. 4.5 out of 5 stars

“The Things They Carried,” by Tim O’Brien (1986): This short story starts by exhaustively giving lists of what a troop of U.S. soldiers in Vietnam carry with them on their marches. It’s an interesting perspective of what war is like. Then it segues to following the sergeant, Jimmy Scott, in his metamorphosis from pining in love with a girl back home to burning her photos and letters so he can focus himself on leading his soldiers. 4 out of 5 stars.

Moonfall (HBO Max): Patrick Wilson and Halle Berry lead the cast in this creative 2022 sci-fi flick in which the moon tilts out of its axis and heads on a collision course with Earth. The lead actors are astronauts who need to save both the day and their family members. It’s a very big ask. But the effects and dialogue all work really well in an entertaining rollick. 4 out of 5 stars.