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hi team. some of you may be looking at your bachelor-contestant-of-the-month calendars and thinking to yourself “this newsletter is late and i’ve been had.” well, the truth is that yesterday was my father’s birthday (happy birthday, dad) and the opportunity to write and rant and slap that send button happened to elude me. so please accept my apologies for being a day late. that being said, i’m coming at you with one of the hippest, swankiest playlists yet that is dripping in angst and punk rage. i hope you enjoy. but first some news and thoughts….

headliners

IS ARIANA GRANDE GRIFTING YOU (Official Store)

what was first made “a thing” by Taylor Swift is now proliferating throughout the pop-o-sphere. now, instead of simply releasing a record, one must release four versions of the same record, only differentiated by unique cover art, to entice susceptible superfans to collect them all. while on the one hand, it’s a savvy marketing trick and i would genuinely enjoy a chance to buy an album with a cover that resonates with me the most, it’s hard to see past what i interpret as a low-hanging cash grab. maybe if each variant came with different content, such as a unique bonus track, i could see the value. but as it is, this really feels like a fucking grift!

WOMEN GUITARISTS ARE INCREASING IN POPULARITY AND CHANGING THE FACE OF MUSIC (CBS News)

first of all, CBS needs to write shorter headlines. second of all, if anyone were to look at my Instagram’s discover feed, what they would find could be aptly described as “hot people doing my hobbies.” this is not a surprise. the algorithm knows i like playing guitar, and it knows i like attractive people. so why wouldn’t Zuckerburg inject a fatal dose of hot people whaling on stratocasters straight into my noggin? well… it would appear that what i assumed was targeted marketing is more representative of a broader theme. more women are playing guitar than ever before. according to Fender, women account for 51% of beginner and aspirational guitar players. so the female guitar dominance that was pioneered by Joan Jett and Bonnie Raitt, and carried forward by H.E.R. and Brittany Howard, may soon become the norm rather than the minority. i say it’s about damn time.

IS FACETIMING DURING A CONCERT EVER OKAY? (Nylon)

no!

best new albums

rated on a scale of “👍really good” to “👍👍👍 really really really good”

💿 Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom by Meat Bodies (psych rock)
👍👍👍 really really really good - damn does this album rock and there isn’t much more i can say other than you will like this if you like Pond or if you like to do this with your hands 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
⭐ Standout Tracks: “Hole” “ICNNVR2” “Gate”

💿 Quantum Web by Discovery Zone (floatacious, experimental pop)
👍 really good - it’s an album that takes you on a journey from funky highs to gliding lows through the lens of a diamond-encrusted kaleidoscope
⭐ Standout Tracks: “Pair A Dice” “FYI” “Operating System”

💿 The Past is Still Alive by Hurray For the Riff Raff (folk, country, singer/songwriter)
👍👍 really really good - it’s rare that i like country and i really do wish this fit into this week’s playlist, but for now i’ll just say that damn is this a well-written record with some truly memorable songs
⭐ Standout Tracks: “Buffalo” “Vetiver” “The World is Dangerous”

ten good songs

bonus tracks

• the anniversary of Napster’s demise was this week. pour one out.

• t-swift out here causing “diplomatic tension” (nyt)

• new music streaming platform, who dis?