10 things: new music, a bonkers interview and something to make ya think
My recommendations on what to read, watch and listen to this week.
We were back on the road to start the weekend, trying to work with spotty Amtrak wifi as we made our way down in South Carolina for a wedding. As is my joy, in the first 24 hours I collected eggs, milked Feta the goat, and scared some bull frogs into the pond. When I’m here, I get to live out my little countryside fantasy (a laughable thing to anyone who actually grew up milking animals at the frigid crack of dawn).
Oh well. Walking around in the sunshine and mud with my camera, followed by a crew of friendly chickens, I feel childlike freedom. The breeze is nice, so I’m going to sit in it.
Here are two hands’ worth of other things I enjoyed this week.
Waxahatchee’s new album, “Tigers Blood.” During our long drive to the path of totality, I described this as “if Taylor Swift had a soulful voice.” Impressive lyricism, gorgeous harmonies and just fun stuff. A great spring/summer album.
Doja Cat’s second version of “Scarlet,” which starts with a Disc 1 full of new bangers and then blends into Disc 2, with all the old bangers. “URRRGE!!!!!!!!!!,” especially, is a party and a great return to one of Doja’s great strengths: cockiness.
OK, you might remember I asked for “COWBOY CARTER” reviews from Black Southerners. Well, Tressie McMillan Cottom delivered, describing the album as, “a Rosetta Stone for the hidden racial politics in country’s aw-shucks exclusion.”
This Interview magazine Q&A with Rihanna is all over the place, but it served to remind me how funny she is. And we finally got the Giorgio Baldi order!
Yaya Bey’s Tiny Desk concert. We saw her live last year and it was magnetic — sultry and syrupy, peppered with biting social commentary between songs.
After that, stay on YouTube and immediately watch the Hot Ones interview with Conan. I haven’t laughed so hard in a while.
Amanda Montell (“Cultish,” “The Age of Magical Overthinking”) was on Fresh Air talking about Internet Brain, linguistic hacks used to keep people from forming original thoughts, and more.
Atmos, on how cotton grown for fast fashion is causing many bad things in Brazil.
The newest season of Somebody Feed Phil, on Netflix. The most delightful travel food show you’ll ever watch. Lawson sometimes jokes that Phil is the only man he worries I’ll leave him for.
“Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy!” in Maybe Baby, an essay I couldn’t stop thinking about during the eclipse, as all the adults scrambled to set up cameras and iPhones to capture the experience. (I employed both.) At one point, a dad in the group joked, “Are we doing enough to enjoy this moment???!” The kids just watched the sky in wonder, squealing as the sun became a glowing O.
Enjoy your week,
Isa
Rummaging is written by Isa Cueto and edited by Annie Cappetta. To support our little homemade, hand-crafted, artisan newsletter, subscribe and share.