Our most-stacked playlist ever, with Bunbury, Ben Harper, highlights from the massive seven-disc set of Stax Records demos, Niall Horan, Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors, Olivia Rodrigo, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Young Thug are just some of the many, many highlights from June. [Spotify]
I was at the Gorge for this show and you should read about it, but also know that I’d say only about half of the 27,000 people could see Joni, such was the ridiculous stage setup. [Guardian] [MSN]
RINA SAWAYAMA CALLING OUT MATTY HEALY LET'S GOO [Twitter]
History/Politics
The Republican Party’s supporters today, in a nutshell, but actually in 1948: “Of all the letters that came in that summer—they eventually numbered more than three hundred, by her count—only thirteen were kind…. The rest, she wrote with mordant humor, were dominated by three main themes: ‘bewilderment, speculation, and plain old-fashioned abuse.’ Readers wanted to know where such lotteries were held, and whether they could go and watch; they threatened to cancel their New Yorker subscriptions; they declared the story a piece of trash. If the letters ‘could be considered to give an accurate cross-section of the reading public . . . I would stop writing now,’ she concluded.” [New Yorker]
“Union Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas… grew up in Virginia [and owned slaves] but joined the Union army.” [The Conversation]
Movies
“But most arresting is the contribution of Joey Lauren Adams, whose solo interview comes in about an hour into the Chasing Amy doc and quickly turns tense. ‘There’s a weird energy exchange here and I feel like, are you looking to me for something I can’t give you?’” [Jezebel]
Have you ever heard of Star Spangled To Death? I meant to send this list on the 3rd, when you would have time to watch all seven hours or whatever it is in time for the BBQ. (Don’t do that to yourself unless you’re fully prepared!) [Screen Slate]
Books
Evil A.I. is now ruining Evil Amazon. [Vice] For all you new people, you can buy my book on Amazon too.