The first email version of this one was a bit botched and the end has some important content! Apologies for the spam.
I had the great pleasure of introducing someone to the wonderful, wacky world of Kate Bush this week. She’s been on the brain generally; I recently started following this Twitter account that’s dedicated to all things Kate Bush. Somehow, the owner never runs out of good content:
I wanted to share some gems of The Staves that I discovered in my research for last week’s newsletter that didn’t quite make the cut for the main issue:
Firstly, please enjoy this absolutely stacked (ha) version of “re:Stacks.” I didn’t really know what Bon Iver looked like before I saw this video, but I was definitely surprised that he’s just a guy! A very talented guy, but a guy nonetheless.
Still Sheryl Crow, always Sheryl Crow. Everyone in the comments section of this video is very upset that Anais Mitchell’s name isn’t included in the title, and while I’m averse to the act of to getting upset in YouTube comments for any reason, I sort of agree. Her voice sounds so good on this, and her bizarre movements coupled with the bonkers concept of this video give the song a sort of surreal bent.
I recently subscribed to this newsletter by the Pitchfork founder Ryan Schreiber. The issue linked here is about the legendary Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002) 10.0 Pitchfork rating that turned out to be the last one for nearly ten years. I’ve been known to say that many albums are the greatest of all time, but this one is my most consistent pick. I love it so dearly.
I saw Lorde on Tuesday night. I didn’t really like Solar Power (2021), my sincerest apologies to the Lorde stans. I think it’s actually good that she made a middling record—same opinion that I have on the most recent Mitski album, but we can save that can of worms for another time—but I was a bit apprehensive about the show. To my pleasant surprise, her setlist leaned heavily towards her first two flawless records. I got to scream the lyrics to “Ribs” with a crowd and teared up during “Supercut,” the saddest banger to perhaps ever exist. I can’t wait to see her again this summer at Primavera. In other news, I’m obsessed with shushgate, the newest Lorde meme, in which she almost violently quiets an audience singing along to “Writer in the Dark” in order to deliver the most stunningly emotional and off-pitch vocal performance of recent history. Iconic, chef’s kiss, genius content.
I met a four year old this week whose favorite song is that one Icona Pop song about crashing your car into a bridge. Does she have better taste than me? Perhaps. I’ll let you decide.
Broken Social Scene just announced a You Forgot It In People (2003) anniversary tour. I screamed when I read the news. I say it with my full chest every single time: You Forgot It In People and Funeral (2004) birthed the entirety of the indie genre. It’s unbelievable how impressive these albums are in the context of the years they were made; they’re both so ahead of their time.
Phoebe Bridgers tweeted that she had had an abortion on tour around the time that I saw her at the Greek last year. It was, in my opinion, a brave and effective use of her platform to raise awareness about the current political climate around abortion rights and normalize her experience. I encourage you to donate to your local abortion clinic or check out this compiled list of organizations that need support.
Thanks for another great playlist Amaya. You have turned me into a Staves fan. Had to laugh when Anais said "My name is French, but I'm not." I find myself responding in the same way all the time. "My name is Italian but I'm not.
Being a Kiwi, I am proud of Lorde, although not a frequent listener. Royal has become an anthem in New Zealand :)
I don’t know how to effectively articulate this, but Bon Iver is completely on brand for Eau Claire. He’s certainly helped put it on the map, but he’s absolutely a product of the environment as well.