āHarryās Houseā absolutely dominated my spring, summer, and fall of 2022. So you might imagine my excitement when Spencer Zahn, Dave Harrington, Jeremy Gustin released their instrumental take on the album. Inflected with ambient undertones and pretty synth melodies, this album captures the essence of what itās like living inside of Harryās House, if it were a soft place to inhabit and simply vibe. What it lacks in the bubble gummy, saccharine pop of the original, it makes up in the quiet, warm hug it wraps around your ears.
certain songs from this album float in and out of my life beautifully, but overall itās a delight from top to bottom. Just what a light, clever, and meditative presence in such lovely music! truly dont make āem like this anymore
this is an album i'm astounded doesn't have more listeners. there are some absolutely stellar moments of arty folky big grand rock on here that just blow me away if i had to give tracks they'd be theatre for change, the kiss, let's take the stage tonight AND pass between houses but really the whole thing is great (except for one track imo which is kinda scary) but it's written so beautifully and it's just the kinda music you Want to find you so yeah. Basically if you like bcnr listen to this
Late summer always sounds like 70s folk to me and this year I am exploring Harry Nilssonās discography. This album is so cinematic and philosophical yet every song (sauf narration) is lovely on its own and within the overarching story. Itās an essay, a childās story, an album, and a movie all at once. Really recommend!
iāve been trying to articulate why i enjoy this space so much. yes, the UX is reminiscent of Tumblr and the early days of the internet. and thereās genuine sincerity and vulnerability on here that makes it feel really cozy and real, which i havenāt felt online in at least a decade. but i think whatās undergirding my love of this space is how anti-capitalist it feels. most of the recs everyone shares are vibe-checks, quality of life shifts, meditations and offers, music and movies, just plain good art. i donāt feel compelled to buy anything when i come here. i feel excited and pumped to be a cheerleader, find connection, find common ground. and FWIW the recs iāve shared that have gotten the most traction are my suggestions for leading a less capitalistic / consumerist life (quitting Amazon, getting off of Spotify, building community to take care of you and your things). all of this is to say, i love it here and i love you guys.
hear me outāthis one might feel impossible, but i quit purchasing items on Amazon in 2018 and cancelled my GoodReads account shortly after. i did some serious reflection and realized iād become super reliant upon, and frankly, quite used to the instant gratification of purchasing something and knowing iād have it within a day. thatās not normal. the labor practices, economics, and environmental impacts of getting what you want from the internet delivered quickly and right to your door are skewed. i was filling a void in myself with mindless purchases. iām aware that they service a huge swath of the internet (Amazon Web Services), own Whole Foods and Abe Books, and will likely take over more businesses we like and rely on. weaning off and avoiding entirely is very very hard, but it can also be a measured decision. that said, i know that it is a privilege to abstain from Amazon. i am able bodied, i donāt have kids, i have access to a car, i live in an urban environment with access to a lot of stuff at my fingertips. but making the choice to break out of the Amazon loop has ultimately been better for my pocketbook and better for my relationship to these mega-tech-companies that have their fingers in everything. in contrast, iām becoming more interested in alternate economies, like bartering and sharing. i love the idea of having commonly shared tools and items (tool libraries are very cool). we donāt need to own it all, we have each other. interested in exploring more? the zine pictured below is a great start, and summarizes a much larger book by the same author on how to resist the leviathan that is Amazon.
i canceled my Spotify account over the summer and have spent the last few months rebuilding my digital music library on a refurbished iPod Touch. reading critiques of the app (and itās enshittification), i realized i wasnāt even sure of my own musical tastes and preferences. i had stopped picking for myself, stopped seeking out new music, ceasing to know how to choose what i wanted or articulate what i like. breaking free from the algorithm has been such a joy! iām borrowing gobs of music from the library, rebuilding my old playlists, and consuming more music than i have in years. and better yet, my data isnāt being tracked by Spotify and i own whatās in my personal library. further, my receptors are more open when iām out in the world exposed to music, searching for recommendations in an organic way.