Welcome to CC Weekly. This new segment is a space for our Compact Culture writers to make rapid fire recommendations for new music, movies, TV, books, blogs, podcasts or whatever else we are enjoying in the moment.
CC Weekly Playlist 002
Jo: The second CC Weekly Playlist is ready with ten new tracks this week! A favorite from Kendrick Lamar’s surprise release shows up, plus tracks from albums we’ve been stoked on – check out our reviews for Pinegrove and TV Girl’s latest.
TEXTING ‘BOUT THE BACHELOR: A LITTLE RECAP+FINALE CHAT
Jo: This week in Reality TV, Bachelor Ben (Mr. Oatmeal himself) will choose who gets the final rose! Compact Culture gets a look into the gal pal text convos of two devoted bachelor fans. I team up with comedian/writer/trash TV expert Alice Stanley to discuss the show and cast predictions for the winner!
‘The Witch’: Feminism isn’t just for Satan anymore
Eric: As you can see, “Evil takes many forms.” Perhaps the shape of a yellow-eyed hare, at times a blackened billy goat. The one missing poster from The Witch‘s ad campaign is the scowling face of a bearded white man, staring back at us with animalistic brutality. Our recent review of The Witch explores the place of witches as the first modern feminists, and the hidden horror of Puritanical rule.
Radiohead LP9 Hype Train Reaches Full Speed
Andy: A few months back, I wrote about bands in need of a comeback and Radiohead was at the top of my list. Loyal Radioheadheads like myself have been patiently waiting for their elusive 9th LP for over five years (1,851 days but who is counting?) and even though we still don’t have a new album, today we received some serious fuel for the LP9 Hype Train.
First, the Greatest Band in the World announced a world tour. I suspect this is only the first wave of the tour as it only includes stops in 15 cities across North America, Europe and Asia. Mark my words, this is just the World Tour Tease – there will be more dates announced soon (I hope).
Second, Radiohead updated their website and their Facebook page with the new artwork featured above. I will now speculate wildly about what it might mean:
Observation: The background sort of somewhat maybe looks like some kind of rock.
Bold Prediction: Radiohead’s new record will be a return to the guitar centric rock of their earlier records The Bends and OK Computer.
Observation: The maybe-rock seems to have some sort of distorted qualities.
Bold Prediction: The new record will include distortion pedals.
Observation: Most of the background is black and white grayscale.
Bold Prediction: Most of LP9 will be in black and white and only some sounds will be recorded in color.
Observation: The typography has no counter-space (holes) inside the letters.
Bold Prediction: When released on CD, LP9 will not have a hole in the middle. While daring and unprecedented, this CD will be entirely unplayable. Listeners will be forced to purchase either digital or vinyl copy in order to hear the album. Diehards like me will buy CD anyway as a companion artifact.
Observation: Radiohead seems to be sliced diagonally in half.
Bold Prediction: The fact that Radiohead is split in such a way can only mean one thing -LP9 will be a double album but instead of listening to it in Side A -> Side B -> Side C -> Side D order, you have to listen diagonally Side A -> Side C -> Side B – Side D.
Observation: That hot pink is hot.
Bold Prediction: LP9 will be hot fire. I’m sure of this one. Lock it in.
The 12 Most Anticipated Shows of 2016
Eric: We already plugged our 12 Most Anticipated TV Shows list last week when discussing The People vs OJ Simpson. A few weeks back was the premiere of House of Cards, and this Friday is the long awaited return of Daredevil. We’ll all be tuning in for these mainstays, but there are plenty of new shows in the pipeline to start getting excited about. Impress your friends and be the first to catch these upcoming pilots.
Compact Culture 