View this email in your browser

Plus lots of links to other good stuff that didn’t (yet)Too much? Not enough? Let me know what you think.

Hi! You’re here! Thank you.

As much as I try to limit my news intake, this week it has been impossible. It’s difficult to tell what’s real and what’s posturing. If there’s any seriousness behind the idea of Canada as the 51st state, I’m either enlisting or moving to Scandinavia or something. It doesn’t help that we don’t even have a Prime Minister right now.

I have good news though: There are lots of great things in this email. It was a big week for short stories, and the playlist is crazy good. I’m going to the Art Gallery of Ontario tomorrow for a hip-hop exhibit that comes with a playlist. This weekend I’m also digging into a biography of a biography of Keith Haring.

Find things that take you somewhere else, even if it’s temporary. Worry about things you can control. Hug your loved ones. Shop local.

Anyway, Here are a bunch of things that didn’t get on the blog yet, and down below are things that did:

Talia Lavin has been running The Sword and the Sandwich for a long time, and this weeks’ feature is an all-timer: the Montreal Smoked Meat. It’s been a while since I’ve been to Montreal, and after that piece, I think I’m gonna plan a trip this summer. Schwartz’s will be on the agenda.

I promise the title undersells this: The Duetti Music Economics Report for 2024. It’s definitely worth the click. Key takeaway:

Speaking of Spotify

I posted a (glowing) review on (the essential) Mood Machine by Liz Pelly last week. I have a couple of new pieces to share about it.

Bandcamp to the Rescue

I was beginning to worry that Bandcamp’s sketchy owners would scuttle Bandcamp Fridays permanently, but on Wednesday night they announced this year’s dates.

Next Friday, all proceeds go to California wildfire relief, then regular Bandcamp Fridays run on these dates:

(for the new: Bandcamp Fridays = Bandcamp forgoes their take and the artists get 100% of sales)

More Beastie Boys content

Dan Ozzi (author of the excellent Sellout) is doing a series where he picks an album off the shelf for each letter of the alphabet and writes about it. This is a great piece on Ill Communication.

My Way or the Amway (sorry)

A memoir about a family destroyed by Amway. Someone I knew almost got pulled into this a long time ago. How is this legal?

The Cruel Kids Table

This almost made me physically ill: a piece in New York Magazine about the young people who think it’s rebellious and cool to act like garbage. I’m not sure how representative it is, but it’s hard to read anyway.

SNL in NYT, LOL

This article in the New York Times about SNL cast members breaking is a fucking delight.

Snapped Ankles: Let It Rot

A good interview in The Quietus with one of my favourite collections of weirdos, Snapped Ankles

Reading:

Read Kevin Light-Roth’s firsthand account of solitary confinement. There are 4 other stories on The Shortlist this week that you also might like.

I discovered the short stories of Emily Rinkema, who it turns out I’d been a fan of for a long time. I collected links to my favourite stories of hers.

Books? In keeping with the escapism theme: a couple from authors who worked on The Wire: The Drop by Dennis Lehane (fun and twisty crime), Lazarus Man by Richard Price (not a crime novel, but good), plus a grief memoir by Sloane Crosby.

Listening:

If you like the Beastie Boys at all, you should watch/rewatch Awesome; I Fuckin Shot That. You can’t rent or buy it anywhere, but thanks to the Internet Archive, you can watch it on my website.

The Setlist is a rowdy one this week, with a ton of proper rock bands: this week’s features were Kloyd (electronica), Heavy Feelings (post-punk), tibia (dance-punk), Anna Justen (dark-ish indie-pop) and Truman Sinclair (alt-country).

Plus killer singles from Shiv and the Carvers (punk rock), Euroboy (weirdness), and PAULA T (more weirdness).  

Hit the red button below to dig in. It’s 20 songs, 70 minutes. Apple Music or Spotify

Get the playlists

Something you think I should hear or read? Reply or click here.

There’s a producer from Montreal named Gen whose stuff is really interesting. I’m also almost finished Who’s Afraid of Gender?, which is relevant for a couple of reasons. Also the recent memoir by Werner Herzog is very Werner Herzog.

Thanks for being here.

-hugh

A Canadian Bookseller in NYC

A great piece in Vulture about Sarah McNally who runs McNally Jackson. She sounds kind of like a nightmare to work for. (Yes, that McNally)

Copyright (C) " target="_blank">unsubscribe