Top Five — August 14th, 2020
Welcome back, y’all — hope it’s been a contented week. While mine has been busy, I found a couple highlights that merited a share and without further ado, let’s get into it.
Top Five — 8/14/20
Photo-Illustration: The Cut
‘Happy 10th Birthday to this Incredible Polarizing Shoe’ — The Cut
I hated these shoes, ardently, passionately, ferociously. For those who somehow bypassed 2010 sartorially, let me take a 5” heel step back. The Lita debuted ten years ago, coinciding with the debut of online retailers like Nasty Gal and social media fashion site Polyvore. They were absolutely ubiquitous at the time and clunky monstrosities now, to this day. It’s only right that I honor their atrocity here.
Austin City Council unanimously votes on $150 million in cuts to APD — Statesman
Shout out to Mayor Pro Temp Delia Garza and Council Member Greg Casar for help pass this plan that puts more money back into social services and away from police funding.Save Sister Cortia’s studio
Now, something to unironically revere. Sister Corita’s 1960’s art studio in Los Angeles is slated to be demolished — unless we intervene. Her work breathes life into the contemporary social justice movement, marks a seminal moment for women in the arts, and provides scope to just how long activism and art have been intertwined in their ambitions. All it takes is a quick email to a few council members to help denote the historical significance of this site.‘Patsy Takemoto Mink’s Trailblazing Testimony Against a Supreme Court Nominee’ — The Atlantic
The first woman of color elected to Congress was Patsy Takemoto Mink. She graduated from the University of Chicago’s law program in 1951 and was denied the right to take the bar exam. Mink challenged of the sexist statue that prevented her administration and won, but couldn’t find work as a wife, mother, and Asian-American attorney. So she opened her own practice in 1953. Then she won two state legislative elections. And then, she joined the U.S. House of Representatives in 1964 and went on to serve her state for a total of 24 years. I’d never heard of her before this week, and perhaps she was amiss in your history books too. So here’s to Representative Mink, whose determination gives us all much to aspire to.RIP to Luchita Hurtado
The Venezuelan-born artist captured the interwoven capacity for existence — and in a time when isolation feels suffocating, Hurtado’s work is a reminder that the cosmos are perpetually extending us an invitation. As quoted in the New York times, and what I find to be an appropriate summation of her work, she said, “Everything in this world, I find, I’m related to.” It’s all the blanket.
Until next time. 👋
Top Five — August 7th, 2020
This week rolled through with the same malaise as the others, but by the end of it, despite all evidence that would encourage me otherwise, I was feeling pretty optimistic. Not least of which being that I have news — next week, I’ll be started a new job at The Black Sheep Agency. Throughout the pandemic, it’s become clear that good people and good work will always win out over good pay, and I’m aware that this opportunity proves just how lucky and privileged my career has been.
But back to what this is about, and that’s my weekly roundup. From first impressions of “In the Air Tonight” in 2020 to a potential TikTok ban, there’s a lot to dissect (and even take joy from) out of this week, so let’s get into it.
Top Five — 8/7/2020
Cardi B hypes up Normani on the set of “WAP”
”WAP,” the new single from Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion dropped on Friday and I shall not be linking to it here as it’s incredibly NSFW. Which means you should absolutely go listen to it. I’m talking the explicit version, people — go all in. The music video, which features a more censored version of the song, included cameos from some fellow pop stars like Normani. In the clip, Cardi can be heard singing“Motivation” and hyping up her friend as Normani films her shots — and puts all of our perceived ideas of flexibility to shame. You’ll see what I mean.FIRST TIME HEARING Phil Collins - In the Air Tonight REACTION - Twinsthenewtrend
From The Carpenters to Blake Shelton, twins Tim and Fred Williams are willing to listen to it all and film their reactions for YouTube. And while the brothers are open to pretty much everything (and rarely seem to write anything off completely), they were no match for Phil Collins — a simple reaction video turns into a total groovefest.Privacy Concerns Fuel Executive Orders, But the Real Threat Isn’t TikTok
This administration loves to arbitrarily select scapegoats. And this week was no deviation from that as we saw executive orders targeting TikTok come down from the White House. For the BSA blog, I discuss how advertisers and marketers should react, but also dig into what the perceived security issues seem to be — and patently aren’t.Italy Reopens Plague-Era Wine Windows
Un bicchiere di malbec, senza COVID-19, per favore. Italy, having been hit incredibly hard and early in the coronavirus pandemic, is using their ancient architecture to their advantage. The wine windows of Florence and Tuscany once served as a way for wealthy, vineyard-owning Italians to sell glasses to-go. During the bubonic plague, they offered a safe way to conduct business — and in our socially-distant times, they’re making a comeback.Impact — SG Lewis and Robyn
My kingdom for a dance party. 2020 has released some of the best dance and pop albums we’ve had in years (Disclosure, Dua Lipa, Lady Gaga, Jessie Ware, HAIM, and the 1975, to name a few) and yet, we’re all stuck at home! But perhaps this gives me more time to practice my moves before reentering society.
Top Five — July 31st, 2020
Well, folks, where do you even start? It’s been since March that I posted anything, a month that feels like a few lightyears away from where we are now.
Between now and then, my job has held steady as 54 million of our fellow Americans are now without work. I have the privilege of not scrambling to find rent money as evictions become active again. My family and friends have not been ravaged by COVID-19 in the same way that Black Americans and Latino Americans have been impacted and killed by this disease. And it’s taken a summer of protesting for more people who look like me to wake up to police brutality against Black Americans and the Black Lives Matter movement.
Our world can be incredibly stark — we see it in the astronomical wealth gap, access to healthcare, and varied support in the workplace, despite optics that would claim otherwise. And as we fight to create and nurture more equitable ground, it is important to emphasize what drives us toward that action. We collectively want to be safe, acknowledged, and loved. How we obtain that can be eroded by fear and panic and become a malformed pursuit. But in the spirit of those ideals, we’ll return to what you’re here for. My top five roundup for this week, July 31st, 2020.
Image courtesy of 100W
Top Five — 7/30/20
‘Together, You Can Redeem the Soul of our Nation’ — John Lewis for NYT
John Lewis’ legacy cannot be overstated — and in his last address to this country, his marching orders are resoundingly clear. “Ordinary people with extraordinary vision can redeem the soul of America by getting in what I call good trouble, necessary trouble.”Photographs for a Purpose
68 artists/prints, $100 each, with proceeds going towards Planned Parenthood, Equal Justice Initiative, Coalition of Immokalee Workers, and Southerners on New Ground. Act quick since it ends this evening, but I’m torn between this one and this one.‘Kyoto’: How to Convince Phoebe Bridgers to Write a Rock Song | Diary of a Song
Being a Bright Eyes fan in 2004 turned into being a Better Oblivion Community Center fan in 2019 and a Phoebe Bridgers fan in 2020. The lead single, Kyoto, from her 2020 album is as dreamy as it is dreary — so perfectly attuned for this year.
‘Don't Try to Change the Minds of Climate-Denying Politicians. Vote Them Out’ — Stacey Abrams for Time
”Change comes when those in authority risk being swept away. It becomes permanent when we elect climate warriors up and down the ballot.” Enough said. Be sure you’re registered to vote.‘Why America Is Afraid of TikTok’ — The Atlantic
Like the rest of the country, stuck at home, I am entranced by Gen Z’s ability to turn diatribes into themed TED talk party, among other TikTok trends. But with news about rampant security issues, including
potential trafficking threats, it’s time for TikTok’s allure to come into criticism.
Bonus: Join me on a trip to Corsicana — land of Cheer, fruitcake schemes, and one of the best arts/writing residencies in the U.S.
Until next time.
Top Five — March 6th, 2020
This week has felt monumentally challenging — from a chaotic Super Tuesday and the eventual suspension of the Warren campaign to increasing concerns about the spread of COVID.
It is a time when our nerves may feel shot.
And our tanks are on empty.
And a very strong nap would be in order.
And in that instance, I always find it nice, if not cathartic or even redemptive, for someone to go out of their way to be kind — so through the internet, here’s a little kindness, from me to you. I hope these bring a smile to your face.
Top Five — 3/6/20
CNN: Gerard Depardieu on Anderson Cooper's Ridiculist
Oui, oui. Or, wee, wee.
☝️This video clip is nine years old. It is also timeless. The giggles are inescapable.Risotto alla Carbonara — Food52
How good does that look? As a huge fan of both carbonara and risotto, I can’t wait to bring them together.James Harden and Russell Westbrook Break Down Their NBA Tunnel Style — GQ
Friends loving fashion loving each other.Nia Dennis with a near-perfect floor routine
Who run the world? Nia Dennis.Pins of state birds.
For a 2020 take on put a bird on it.
Top Five — February 29th, 2020
Happy Leap Day! I thought it would be nice to commemorate the once-every-four-years occasion with the weekly round up. So let’s jump into it.
Top Five — 2/29/20
Bob’s Red Mill announced this week the the private company is being handed over to the employees. The Oregonian reported, “Vested employees are sent annual reports detailing their respective stakes in the company. When those employees quit or retire, they receive in cash whatever amount they -- and the company, through increased revenues, new sales and controlled costs -- are due.” What an amazing way to invest in your people.
‘Banquets Are Back In Fashion. But Where Does All the Food Go?’ — NYTimes
Influencer culture is apex consumer culture; the commodification of a moment comes with quite a bit of waste. From the fashion runway to trendy coffee shops, waste piles up in pursuit of aesthetic or ~vibes. So from a production standpoint, how can you take a stand?The Love Is Blind finale finally dropped! I cannot recommend that show enough for those looking to tune out — it is highly delicious drama that even NPR can get behind.
Food52 recently launches its interiors brand, Home52 — so please excuse me while I pine over ways to create bubblegum pink entryways (see left).
I spoke with the Sweet Pass Sculpture Park founders about Dallas, art, and finding talent in the local community. Check it out over on Sightlines.
Have a great weekend and get out there and vote on Super Tuesday, if your state is up! P.S. for anyone still looking down ballot, Vote411.org is a great resource that allows you to compare candidate, prepare your personal ballot, and great a personalized voting guide.
Top Five — February 21st, 2020
What a week. People, getting to this Friday was a Herculean effort. So I applaud you all for making it this far.
I rounded up some of the more eye-opening work I ran across this week, from politics to composting, with one solicitation for West Texas recommendations nestled in there, too.
Top 5 for 2/21/2020
‘The Great Google Revolt’ — NYT
Four Google employees were fired in the midst of challenging their employer on new contracts and products that perpetuated nefarious, dystopian uses for their technology. The New York Times set out to capture their story, and the story of an internet giant compromising its culture and tech.We’ll be heading out to West Texas next month and are soliciting your favorite things in both Marfa and Fort Davis. Got a favorite trail? Restaurant? Watering hole? Let me know below. 👇
‘33 Restaurants to Eat at In Houston’s Chinatown’ — Houston Chronicle
Misinformation regarding the coronavirus has put enormous strain on Houston’s Chinatown restaurants — so here is a guide to going out and supporting the city’s food community while filling your belly accordingly.‘A Banana Peel, a Diaper, and a Plastic Bag Walk Into Austin’s Composting Program’ — Austin Chronicle
The dirty hippie in me rejoiced when the City of Austin launched their composting pilot program in our east campus neighborhood in 2013. Now that the program has extended to the entire city, the Austin Chronicle takes a deeper look into the success — and challenges — that face a city-wide scale for composting.Voting in Super Tuesday? Here’s Everything You Need to Know — Texas Tribune
If you’re voting this Super Tuesday (or early, through 2/28!), I implore you to give this comprehensive guide, compiled by The Texas Tribune, a whirl. Find out what’s on your ballot, check our candidate, and get prepared to make your voice heard!
Have a great weekend, y’all — and go vote!
Image property of TPWD.
Top Five — February 14th, 2020
Happy Valentine’s Day! This week, I’m coming to you a little early since included below is my annual Valentine’s mix. Aptly, this week’s roundup is filled with things I, you guessed it, really, really, really like. So check it out, give the playlist a spin, hug someone you care about, and here’s to love.
Top 5 for 2/14/2020
‘The North Face quest? Clothes that last forever’ via Fast Company
There’s so much to appreciate about this story. The designer featured proposed sending the in-house team off to the garment rehabilitation facility to study what wear-and-tear was most prevalent, and then take that knowledge back to better inform design from the outset. Upper management not only supported the idea but put it into action, effectively creating small residencies for their design team to go and study the clothes after they’ve already seen some life — and challenged them to take these discarded items and find new uses for them in future collections or as patches for existing items.This print from artist Louis Bicycle
Newly hanging in my home, this encapsulates my attitude.Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl).
Girls everywhere deserve the chance to be themselves, free from expectations and ideologies about what they are capable of. For these girls, that meant picking up a skateboard. This now-Oscar winning documentary explores what happens when someone sees their horizons expand infinitely, beyond both circumstance and culture, toward a future where they can be in control.This wiggle candelabra
Because my design sensibilities sit somewhere between Versailles and Dr. Seuss.And lastly, Love in 20/20 Vision, available both on Apple Music and Spotify. 💕
Top Five — February 7th, 2020
Two days late, but zero bucks short. Here’s this week-ish’s roundup.
Top 5 for 2/7/2020
Bon Appetit’s Chicken and Rice Meatballs
These were delicious and easy to double for a crowd — good to have on hand for your next group hang.‘Raising a person in a culture full of types’
It’s perhaps incalculable — the way that social media has changed our culture. But this article acutely touches upon the how our digital landscape creates a kind of performance behavior that feeds off of facade, not identity. If we are categorized by type and perform accordingly, who are we, really?‘People, I’ve Been Sad’ - Christine and the Queens
French synth pop angst? Oui, merci beaucoup.Fashion week is upon us, and I’m smitten with Christopher John Rogers’ latest. The silhouettes are huge, the colors are bright, the drama is palpable.
‘The Man Behind Mister Rogers, Away From The Neighborhood Of Make-Believe’
Fred Rogers has been the subject of many articles, a recent documentary, and the film starring Tom Hanks. I’m not sure what about Fred Rogers rings so true with people these days — it could be the simplicity and heart of his message, or seeing how the generation of ‘Mr. Rogers’ was a challenge, one that Fred embarked on sincerely and history now remembers fondly. For whatever reason, I found these portraits to be particularly joyful and mark not only the legacy of the entertainer but also the man behind the make-believe.
Top Five — January 31st, 2020
Rob Gordon is a very unpleasant character. However, he is the type of Type-A sycophant who indelibly leaves a mark. For some, it is in musical stylings or newly formed crushes on Lisa Bonet.
For myself, Gordon’s impression created a lingering attachment to life in list format. All-time best meals, pop songs to dance to (alternatively, to cry to), metro systems, etc. The list is endless and most importantly, fun.
So, in this our new year, I am committing to a weekly list. Yes, it’s the last day of January. No, I don’t know where the rest of the month went or why I didn’t write anything earlier. Yes, this list is aimless and without rules — it’s anarchy contained by <li> tags! But the singular quantifier for this list is that it has to reflect the week. Not in any kind of chronological order, but to consider these a small portrait of the last couple days.
Top Five for 1/31/2020
'I Moved Off-Grid With an Emotionally Stunted Older Man!’ — Ask Polly
It is embarrassing to be human — despite your best efforts, you will find yourself incapable, longing, messy, selfish, and perhaps even pathetic. This is a reminder that your human state is acceptable, in all its discomfiting glory.Furikake Chex Mix
I plan to make and then devour this for that Big Sports Sunday.‘Paradise’ — Hot Chip
”You’re washed up / and you hate it. You’ve lied / you’re berated. You’re despised, contaminated.” See no. 1 and double back for synth-effects.‘The Pitfalls and Potential of New Minimalism’ — The New Yorker
New minimalism is both a mindset and a trapping of capitalist maximalism, with pine end tables and white waffled bedspreads. A worthy read that digs into the facets of a simplified lifestyle set in the confines of consumer culture — what is authentic and what is aesthetic?‘Physical’ — Dua Lipa
Dance your way into the weekend.
See y’all next week.
Top Ten Albums of the 2010s, According to Me
As 2020 approaches, it’s best to look forward instead of back, as this decade has largely been a swirling tornado of chaos. Despite the bedlam, some amazing music came out — this blog serves as a tribute to the albums that shaped the past decade for me and deserve their moment in the spotlight, personal anecdotes regarding the albums left intact. And off we go.
As 2020 approaches, it’s best to look forward instead of back, as this decade has largely been a swirling tornado of chaos. Despite the bedlam, some amazing music came out — this blog serves as a tribute to the albums that shaped the past decade for me and deserve their moment in the spotlight, personal anecdotes regarding the albums left intact. And off we go.
2010 - Yeasayer, Odd Blood
I firmly believe that a band’s mettle is tested with a live show; their albums either gain a new vibrancy with a live performance, or they don’t and you’re strapped in for an hour or two of exactly what you’ve heard before. Somehow, Yeasayer harnessed the fragile anger of Berlin, a city trapped in the middle of a long, brutal winter and venue for that night’s show, and harpooned right through it. This Yeasayer show is the closest I’ve ever come to blows with someone (punches! at a Yeasayer concert!) and I was a resident punk cretin from the years 2003 - present day. The crowd was a wave of thrashing bodies from the very start of the set, and positively erupted when the band closed with Ambling Alp. I left the show covered in beer that had been thrown into the air. A frothy celebration, punctuated by wild, oscillating keyboards and drums that set a perfect stage for the decade to come.
2011 - Metronomy, The English Riviera
The English Riviera’s lead single, “The Bay,” is so damn funky. Seriously, I dare you to go and listen to that bass and see what involuntary reactions your body embarks on. A foot tap, a finger wag, a head nod — it’s veritably impossible to not start to move once Metronomy breaks into that groove. As the band croons, this isn’t Paris, it’s not Hong Kong, and there’s appreciation in that. Metronomy burst into the decade bringing about music that you can hear, instrumentation that stands out after the early 2000s reveled in polished, augmented pop tunes. It’s music that pulls from a long history of electronica while locating itself squarely in the confines of pop and indie rock.
2012 - Grimes, Visions
Visions is an insane album that deals in audio hypocrisy. It’s melodic and discordant. It’s angry and sweet. It’s dark and bright. All of this exists in equal measure and often oscillates between states within in a single track. This sounds like a pop record that a gremlin princess and a synth computer program got together and wrote on a cloud. Visions is undeniably visionary, independent of my own personal opinions about Boucher as a pseudo-political figure. See you on a dark night, folks.
2013 - Beyoncé, Beyoncé
This album revitalized a pop music culture that was in the bad habit of subsisting on singles. Some of the decade’s best songs were, in fact, singles, with “This Is What You Came For” by Rihanna as an immediate stand-out. But Beyoncé begs to be consumed in its entirety. From “No Angel,” co-written by Chairlift vocalist Caroline Polacheck, to “Blue,” a track that introduces the world to Beyoncé’s daughter Blue Ivy, we are taken through an artfully curated album that is steeped in Beyoncé folklore, of which she is both the subject and author. Allusions to her troubled marriage, which would take center stage for the later album Lemonade, come to the surface on the self-titled, but Knowles-Carter is quick to bring the album back up to tempo with dance anthems like “XO” and “Blow.” That the album was accompanied with a visual counterpart offered only more to love.
2014 - Chromeo, White Women
“Jealous” could have been sung by Katy Perry, and I say that as a compliment. It’s a delectable pop confection that kicks off an album absolutely rife with them. “Come Alive” offers harmonies that the 80’s nu-wave gods pined for, thanks to the guest vocalist Toro y Moi. “Old 45’s” strikes the perfect balance of romance and nostalgia, propped up by vocals from the HAIM sisters. Hell, “Lost on the Way Home” brings Solange to the forefront in a captivating synth line, with a softness reminiscent of the Solange we see on later albums like A Seat at the Table and When I Get Home. White Women is a guilty-pleasure of an album, that revels in lyrical sleaze and near-perfect grooves.
2015 - G.L.O.S.S, 2015 Demo EP
G.L.O.S.S. kicked 2015 squarely in the jaw with their demo EP. Clocking in at a trim five tracks, this EP encapsulates rage — pure, wild, bleeding rage. Fronted by lead singer Sadie “Switchblade” Smith, the trans-feminist hardcore punk band advocated for the outcasts with such fury that it was impossible to stand idly by and not join in. This demo is as much a testament to the power of girls living outside society’s shit as it is a call to action, to stand up for the “faggots and femmes” and other marginalized communities. Sadly, G.L.O.S.S. called it quits just a year later, citing the mental hazards of life on the road being a primary driver for their early retirement. We’re worse off for the void left by G.L.O.S.S.’s departure, but how lucky are we that we have this EP to celebrate.
2016 - The 1975, i like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful, yet so unaware of it
i like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful, yet so unaware of it pushed The 1975 past the glib reputation their debut single, “Chocolate,” earned them. The 1975 are regularly lambasted for being exactly what they are: poppy, cloying, and slightly too polished for what we want out of a rock band. But if you can push past that, you’re in for a treat — i like it when you sleep being an excellent example. Lead singer Matthew Healy occupies a pop identity somewhere between Conor Oberst and Harry Styles, and is viewed with intense heart-eyes by the band’s fans, but sonically, the band knows how to deliver. Panning guitar riffs, punctuated bass lines, and droll lyrics bring together a complete package. i like it is uncomplicated and charming, perhaps due to its simplicity. But it’s an album I return to in good, bad, and sad moods — solidifying its spot on this list.
2017 - Jens Lekman, Life Will See You Now
“How We Met, The Long Version” is a perfect love song , and yet it’s opening lines describe the Big Bang theory in great detail and reference subatomic particles. Lekman is an artist known for casting a wide net when it comes to subject matter, and Life Will See You Now perhaps embodies that most fully. This album’s got everything: Mormonism; cancer; the Cambrian explosion; beach vacations; ferris wheels; friendship; house parties; and perfume. Performed with percussion pads and samples, I wish we have gotten more instrumentation behind Lekman’s wild vision for storytelling, especially when you hear the horn samples pop in — how fabulous would that have been to hear live. Regardless, I would define this album as both madcap and incredibly tender, never straying from its mission to tell full, honest stories. That you can dance to it doesn’t hurt either.
2018 - Robyn, Honey
Robyn’s Body Talk earned infamy for not only its vulnerability, but also for being one best bodies of electronic music to come out of the early 2000s. For years, Robyn fans desperately hunted for signs of a new album. And in 2018, Robyn delivered with Honey. The crescendoing keyboard crashes through the album’s initial moments as the first single, “Missing U” strikes up.
Finding clues in my pockets and opening boxes / And going places we went / Remember to forget / Thinking how it could’ve been / I've turned all my sorrow into glass / It don't leave no shadow
Honey is all the rawness of Body Talk, but with the perspective of age. It tackles grief in the wake of her mentor’s death and loneliness after the collapse of her long-time relationship. “Because It’s in the Music” is home on the dance floor, but just as much so alone, in your apartment. It serves as the soundtrack of loss and finding your way through with music that can envelop, maybe even transform, your emotions. It shares that transcendent quality with much of Body Talk, begging the question whether Robyn is simply tapped into music in a way that others aren’t. Her music is sentimental and inviting, without shying away from hurt or cheapening the sincerity of sadness. Honey perfectly melds impeccable electronic beats with universally human themes, and the result is a masterpiece of an album.
2019, Caroline Polachek, Pang
As half of Chairlift, Polachek’s vocals elevated the group’s indie-pop music into something somewhat ethereal — but left to her own devices on Pang, Polachek utterly soars. This is moody pop that draws on the influence of albums like the aforementioned Honey, but Polachek’s operatic voice is singularly her own. The album lilts breathlessly from track to track with a wide array of synth-heavy songs that keep the beat moving, while still leaving enough room to reflect. Repetition emerges as a theme across the album as choruses offering the same refrain on loop (look to “Door” as an example), and it’s a novel device that brings an inherent amount of catchiness to a piece of work that could otherwise render as slightly inaccessible. “So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings” is infectious in that regard, while “Look at Me Now” calls upon the existential confusion of life post-breakup played against the soft strum of an acoustic guitar and soft percussion. With Pang, Polachek carves out new musical terrain, leaving so much to explore in both execution and subject matter.
Link to your album compilations below — I can’t wait to check them out. And cheers to the next decade.