S1: Hey, I'm Usman Farooqi and this is the drop a
S1: culture show from the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age,
S1: where we dive into the latest in the world of
S1: pop culture and entertainment. I'm here with Thomas Mitchell and
S1: Mel Kambouris. Exciting news from you, Thomas. You went to
S1: see challenges last night, the new film starring Zendaya, directed
S1: by Luca Guadagnino from Comey by your Name fame. Sadly, Mel,
S1: you were unwell. You couldn't make it to the movie yesterday.
S1: So we don't get your first hand account of Thomas's
S1: in cinema activities proclivities. Um, Thomas, speaking on your own behalf.
S1: How was your experience seeing this movie? Seeing Sunday in
S1: the flesh?
S2: Uh, yeah, it's definitely the best movie she's done since
S2: June 2nd. It's pretty safe to say it was really good.
S2: I can't say too much about the movie because it's
S2: under strict embargo, but, I mean, I'm sure they won't
S2: be sad that I say it's really good. Um, and
S2: it's got lots of classic Luca isms. We all love him. Um,
S2: the music is amazing. The visuals are great. But yeah,
S2: it was funny. It was one of those big premieres.
S2: Obviously the cast was out here Josh O'Connor, Mike Face
S2: and Zendaya, and it's pretty cool. Like, you know, you
S2: go to the State Theater, there's like fan like, you know,
S2: civilian fans on the other side of the road, like
S2: just packing out the street to be a part of it.
S2: So it always creates a good vibe. Zendaya was wearing
S2: a very cool, like, you know, tennis themed dress and stuff,
S2: but it's always funny because they come out. They do like,
S2: you know, a little chat about the movie and stuff.
S2: And then, um, our colleague actually Rob Moran was like,
S2: he was like, I was watching to see if they
S2: stayed for the whole movie. And she left halfway through.
S2: He was upset about that.
S1: I think that's fair enough. These guys have seen the
S1: movie a thousand times. They've got to do premieres all
S1: over the world. Totally fair enough to not just sit
S1: there and watch it again and again.
S2: I agree. Yeah, but we were told that was the
S2: first time they'd watched it together. And it's a movie
S2: that has a lot of audience like response. Like there
S2: are moments that the audience really reacts to. So yeah,
S2: it was it was a good vibe and a great film,
S2: and I'm very excited for us to talk about it.
S3: Yeah, I feel like if I don't like to go
S3: back and listen to the podcasts or like stuff that
S3: I've written in the past, I don't think I will.
S2: Die, by the way, just because.
S3: I actually am. Our creative process is very similar. I
S3: can completely understand she actually, maybe if I was in
S3: dire I would want to look at myself on screen. Well,
S3: I'm most excited. That's true.
S2: I'm mostly excited, which I, um, foreshadowed to you both
S2: last night that I can't wait to talk about it.
S2: So then I can make a funny meme of the
S2: three of us out of the challenges poster, where Zendaya
S2: sitting on the bed trying.
S1: To funny slash, uh, NSFW w as well. What do
S1: you reckon they went when they walked out of the theater?
S1: They go have like dinner at Toddies or something. What
S1: was there? What was their Sydney evening like, do you
S1: think they.
S2: Probably walked down to Pitt Street Mall and got that
S2: escalator straight up to the top of the food court,
S2: I guess, and then went to Sushi Train.
S3: It is the fancy food court up there. They should have.
S2: Really gone to Marrickville Tennis Club because that would feel appropriate.
S1: That would have worked. Yeah, totally. Well, I guess this
S1: sort of is slightly related to, in fact, not slightly
S1: very related to to Zendaya. But in news this week
S1: about euphoria season three, which I think has been a
S1: little bit, uh, up in the air for the last
S1: year or so, there was seemingly confirmation that it was
S1: going ahead. Uh, creator Sam Levinson seems pretty keen to go. Um,
S1: but then in the last couple of days, word sort
S1: of leaked out that there's no locked in production schedule
S1: for this show yet. The actors attached to it, including Zendaya,
S1: including Sydney Sweeney, have been told to just don't worry,
S1: go find other projects. Keep yourselves busy. I'm interested to
S1: check in with you guys how excited you are or
S1: how excited do you think anyone still is for Euphoria
S1: Season three? I feel like, you know, that show was
S1: so well made. It was critically acclaimed. It made stars
S1: out of its leads, obviously. But since then, Sam Levinson
S1: has done The Idol, which, like we didn't really enjoy
S1: in most people, didn't really enjoy. We're excited to see
S1: Zendaya do these other projects. Sydney Sweeney's starring in and
S1: producing her own movie. She's in this new horror film
S1: called Immaculate, which I haven't seen yet but looks really,
S1: really interesting. And she's played quite a creative behind the
S1: scenes role with that movie. As well. I don't desperately
S1: feel the desire to delve back into the euphoria universe,
S1: but what are your vibes?
S2: I reckon I will name my next child Tedros if
S2: Euphoria season three gets made. There's not a fucking chance
S2: that show is happening. Cast is too famous, which we
S2: already discussed last time. It's been so long now that
S2: like that distance has made it near impossible. And then
S2: on top of everything, the Sam Levinson brand and he's
S2: pulling power has been completely tarnished by the idol. So
S2: like on top of the fact that you've lost all
S2: these stars to, you know, the fact that they've become
S2: so much bigger, I don't know if they'll be rushing
S2: back to clear their schedules to work with Sam Levinson,
S2: because he's kind of like damaged goods now.
S3: Yeah. And also, I think, as you're saying, like Elordi, Sweeney, Zendaya,
S3: they're all almost too big in their own rights to
S3: be part of an ensemble cast. And also, I do
S3: feel like that show just reached the last season of
S3: it was an interesting, nicely shot show, kind of quite revolutionary.
S3: What else was on at that moment, but I do
S3: think it reached a fever pitch, um, where the plot
S3: kind of became quite insane and I don't really know
S3: how it would go back from where it reached at
S3: the end of last season. So I think the smart decision,
S3: as well as the practical one is probably to just
S3: let it go. Also, the longer and longer it goes on,
S3: the less and less likely they can be in high
S3: school like they're meant to be high school characters. And
S3: it's now getting to that OC level where they're way
S3: too old to be playing high school. So I think
S3: it's best for everyone. That euphoria kind of is just
S3: left in the past as a as a perfect artifact
S3: of that moment that gave us these, particularly these three
S3: great talents.
S1: Yeah, it's really interesting, the incubator that it was like
S1: Jacob Elordi, Sydney Sweeney and they are all starring in
S1: big productions, but also like Oscar nominated Oscar adjacent kinds
S1: of films. Even skins like that original cast and season
S1: one like that with some breakout, you know, stars on that.
S1: But it is astonishing. And yeah, I think you guys
S1: are totally right. I think like it would take a
S1: lot for them to come back that all really want
S1: to do it, and it doesn't really seem like any
S1: of them are desperate to do it. It seems like
S1: maybe Sam's desperate to keep this train moving, but they
S1: would happily move on. I mean, Sydney Swan, he's talked
S1: pretty clearly about some of the discomfort she had with
S1: the request to do more nude scenes and things, and
S1: I think given where she's at in her career, going
S1: back to that, giving up that kind of urgency doesn't
S1: probably sit right.
S2: I also watched anyone but you, by the way. Finally, finally, oh, finally.
S1: Give us your capsule review.
S2: Oh my God, what a fucking movie. What a love
S2: letter to Sydney. What a love letter of myself to
S2: Sydney Sweeney. She was amazing in it. Glen Powell, who
S2: I hated before. I also really love him now. He's
S2: got great comedic timing. It is the perfect addition to
S2: the rom com revival. They should make three more of these.
S2: They she is definitely the new Julia Roberts. It's close
S2: to a perfectly fun Friday night film to watch with
S2: your friends or partner, anyone but you. Nine and a
S2: half stars.
S3: But not worth the energy or money to go and
S3: see it. Months ago when really good just released $7.
S2: To rent on a Friday night.
S1: Thomas, I'm so glad you finally seen this movie. I've
S1: been on an island on this one for the past
S1: six months. I think this movie is fun. It's great.
S1: People who don't think it's good, like kind of get
S1: over yourselves. This this movie is about like showing what
S1: a spectacular Sydney city is. It's about just having a
S1: nice time and enjoying yourself and turning your brain off.
S1: If you're willing to do that. For Saltburn, an Irish
S1: wish which everyone seems to be willing to do, you
S1: can do it for anyone but you. So thank you
S1: for watching and thank you for agreeing with me.
S3: Also, you've not been on an island like I've seen it,
S3: and I got none of this praise for going to.
S4: Movies.
S1: You want as effusive as either Thomas or Mel?
S5: Well, I don't think.
S3: I was loaded with, so I cannot believe you got
S3: a congratulations from watching a film, can't you? The four
S3: months after it came out. This is insane how this
S3: place works.
S2: Anyway, it's also my recommendation.
S5: This way. Yeah.
S1: All right, well, look, on this show, we talk a
S1: lot about movies, obviously television. And thanks to Mel Brooks.
S1: But there is another form of art that we all
S1: admire and love to talk about. It is maybe the
S1: best art form of them all. Music. We've talked about
S1: it before on the show last year, we went deep
S1: on the country renaissance. We've talked about the Taylor Swift
S1: and Freudian phenomena this year, but there's actually been a
S1: stack of really, really great releases this year, particularly in
S1: just the last month. And I think they give us
S1: a good sense of kind of where pop music is
S1: right now and where a few big genres are right
S1: now pop, obviously, but also hip hop and indie. So
S1: this episode, I guess, is going to be a bit
S1: of a survey of the state of music through some
S1: of our favorite and a couple of our lesser favorite
S1: albums of the past few months. Let's start with what
S1: I think we all think is a really, really astonishing record.
S1: Probably my favorite album of 2024 so far. It's called
S1: Tiger's Blood. It's by Waxahatchee. It's the project of 35
S1: year old singer songwriter Katie Crutchfield.
UU: What do you say? Sleep all day. Drive out to
UU: the only lake in Kansas. Turkey we. My heart sinks
UU: in me. Can I call you by your last name?
UU: I kiss you like a fever. Dream companion. Ancient history.
UU: We burn that.
S1: Story. Our last album, Saint Cloud, came out in 2020,
S1: just as the pandemic was kicking off. It focused on
S1: her sobriety, her journey to becoming sober, and it really
S1: propelled her into another sphere of pretty big popularity. She
S1: said herself that that album probably doubled her audience in
S1: terms of who was coming to her shows and listening
S1: to her music. Her first few records, I think, were
S1: more like indie rock, alt rock than country, but Saint
S1: Cloud in particular, and definitely with Tiger's Blood, we're in
S1: deep Americana, country ish territory. There's obviously a huge country
S1: wave happening. It has been happening for the last couple
S1: of years, but I feel like it's kind of catching
S1: up to her and her sound more than her deliberately
S1: tapping into sort of write it. I think this album,
S1: I mean, it sounds beautiful. Her singing is obviously astonishing,
S1: but the songwriting is just like on Another World, I
S1: think is very relatable. Even though she's talking about being
S1: an artist, being a songwriter, the expectations that all of
S1: that comes with managing relationships, managing her career. But in
S1: a way that I think a lot of 35 year
S1: old or people, you know, at that stage of life
S1: can really relate with. What do you guys think about
S1: this Waxahatchee record?
S3: I mean, I think you probably put your finger on
S3: it with all of those comments. It is a really
S3: remarkable album, and I do. I always love this time
S3: of year, like early on in the year, because you
S3: can say things like, it's the best album of 2024
S3: so far. Like you have this brief period at the
S3: start of each year where you can where you can
S3: make those big claims. I really like this album and
S3: I really liked Saint Cloud as well. I think she's
S3: a really good songwriter. I like kind of the introspection,
S3: the stories. I probably like her when she's got a
S3: little less twang to her voice, which won't surprise you.
S3: And she does go way more American South in this album,
S3: I think, than in in in the others. And there
S3: are some interesting features as well. MJ Lindemann, who was
S3: in Australia I think, last week, and that show got
S3: lots of great reviews. Um, I do really like it.
S3: I it hasn't changed my, my life, I think in
S3: the way maybe it's changed yours.
S1: But that's so interesting because I put out this thing
S1: on my Instagram being like, um, you know, we'll talk
S1: about Kacey Musgraves later, but like, you know, I was like,
S1: white women rejoice. The new Waxahatchee record is here. And
S1: I assume that that would be right in your wheelhouse. Smells.
S1: So I'm curious to hear that it hasn't been as
S1: sort of transcendent for you as it seems to have
S1: been for a lot of people of our age, I guess.
S3: Yeah, I think and I think this is maybe something
S3: to do with where I'm at sonically. I guess at
S3: the moment.
S5: I.
S3: Do feel like my indie rock alt country days, I
S3: don't know, I do. I'm maybe a little, I don't know,
S3: it's just not what I'm listening to heaps of at
S3: the moment. Where are you.
S5: At sonically then? Yeah. What are you.
S1: How do you one lavish UK draw is that that's
S1: where you're at sonically.
S3: In my club days I'm in like my Charli XCX.
S3: I think I'm in the in in the club, the
S3: electro pop.
S1: But I mean the other, the other thing, it could
S1: be metal and I mean this, this relates to an
S1: ongoing conversation that you, Thomas and I have about literature
S1: and where the state of, you know, books are at.
S1: Maybe like you also potentially you feel very confident and
S1: secure at this stage of your life, both professionally and
S1: in terms of the relationships around you, that you can
S1: respect the songwriting, but maybe it isn't hitting for you
S1: the way that it might be hitting for other people
S1: who maybe feel a little bit, a little bit, you know,
S1: waylaid a little bit. You know, she has this lyric,
S1: you know, my life's been mapped out to a tee,
S1: but I'm always a little lost. Maybe that doesn't hit
S1: for you. Maybe you're just like, on track. And that's
S1: why this isn't taking you to another level.
S5: I appreciate.
S3: What you're saying, but I do think I have the
S3: kind of emotional intelligence to make the empathetic leap to
S3: understand other.
S5: People's.
S3: Feelings. So I don't know if that's quite true. Look,
S3: I think it's a lovely, great album. I think the
S3: songs are wonderful. I think she, you know, they are
S3: catchy without being kind of cliched and try it. And
S3: I think she's kind of continuing on a great path
S3: that she's already set up with Saint Cloud. But, um, yeah.
S3: So I don't know. I don't know what more you
S3: want for me, Thomas.
S2: Uh, I well, it definitely spoke to my inner white woman.
S2: I love this record. Um, and, you know, I think,
S2: like the more the, the older I get. And I
S2: am pretty much the exact same age as Katie Crutchfield. Like,
S2: I really feel like when I listen to new music, um,
S2: and I don't know if you guys do this, but, like,
S2: especially when I'm listening something for the first time on Spotify,
S2: I will pull up the lyric function so I can
S2: read along as you listen. Um, just because I feel
S2: like I get so much more from it. Especially, you know,
S2: she's such a great writer and, and I do feel
S2: like a lot of the writing and the lyrics and
S2: the themes in this, like even on first listen, I
S2: was like, Fuck Katie, you see me, I feel I
S2: feel really seen by her. Um, you know, I make
S2: a living crying. It ain't fair. Like, come on, the
S2: opening with three sisters. Like I feel that I'm pouring myself.
S2: About every Sunday. Uh, yeah. So I really do think
S2: and you mentioned the lendemain track right back to it,
S2: like probably one of the best tracks of the year
S2: for me so far. And I just think it's such
S2: a beautiful, kind of like weird snapshot of relationships and,
S2: you know, what happens and how you kind of sometimes
S2: see getting into a rhythm as a bad thing. But really,
S2: it can be a beautiful thing. Like, I just think
S2: she does have a really particular way. Mels shaking her head. Uh,
S2: she does have a really particular way of just like,
S2: I don't know, capturing how lots of people are feeling.
S2: Or at least it spoke to me.
S3: No, I completely agree with what you're saying, but I'm
S3: just challenging the premise that, like, you think I don't
S3: appreciate this album because for some reason it doesn't speak
S3: to me. Her sentiments are hardly like they're universal sentiments.
S3: I guess I'm challenging the critical frame with which you're
S3: trying to view this album, if it relates to you
S3: or not, is what makes it good or not.
S1: I don't know if I don't think it's about whether
S1: it's good, but I think it's clearly hit in a like.
S1: Waxahatchee is not the most popular artist in the world,
S1: like far from, but it does seem like this particular
S1: album at this particular point for a lot of people
S1: of our generation, does seem to have hit in a
S1: way that isn't just like it's it sounds nice, right?
S1: It seems to have this extra layer to it and like, look,
S1: we want to try to like, diagnose how good or
S1: bad your life is through this conversation. But it does
S1: seem like for a lot of people, beyond just the
S1: quality of the sound and the production and the singing,
S1: that it is hitting a moment of, ah, it's like
S1: millennial malaise, I guess, which is something that you see
S1: in a lot of different art forms that we talk about. Um,
S1: but yeah, I mean, you guys mentioned MJ Lindemann a
S1: couple of times. I right back to it is a
S1: great track. He's actually, I think, doing guitar on a
S1: lot of these, if not all of the tracks, but
S1: it's it's pretty quiet. The electric guitar, it's not super
S1: prominent on this. You hear the kind of banjo a
S1: lot and like that gets me going. You know, I'm
S1: stomping when I hear the banjo in my country era.
S1: The other track that I really like is The Wolves.
UU: There's a lock on the door that costs more than
UU: my car. Be now. Ain't never come close to crossing
UU: that threshold anyway. I can't hear a song on the
UU: radio without a clear recollection of the touching. Go. I
UU: can't prize my certainty. Let bygones fade away.
S1: For which I think is the second last track from
S1: the album, which is a really, like, kind of sad
S1: but but really interesting, I guess. Reflection on what an
S1: artist sacrifices their mental health, their like well-being when they're
S1: trying to create something that they hope like lasts and
S1: stands the test of time. And, you know, it's talking
S1: about being thrown to the wolves as kind of the
S1: metaphor and that and that. It's really interesting. I'm going
S1: to say more about this when we talk about Casey,
S1: but it's so interesting having artists make amazing art and
S1: then at the same time try to talk to us
S1: or communicate with us the anxieties of doing so and
S1: preempting their response. That's a really raw thing that I
S1: think a lot of particularly younger female singer songwriters are doing,
S1: which hasn't always been, you know, part of like pop music.
S1: I think the other thing that I'm really stoked with
S1: with this record, so it's produced by Brad Cook, who
S1: also produced Saint Cloud. And apparently, though these conversations that
S1: he and Katie Crutchfield were having, we've done the kind
S1: of Americana country thing. What if we, like, go in
S1: the pop direction and one of the tracks, 365, is
S1: one of the early recordings I did, which is, I
S1: guess has more pop sensibilities, and then they're like, no, no, no,
S1: this isn't let's just like double down on what worked
S1: last time and what seems to be the sound Katie
S1: wants to play with. So I'm really glad that they
S1: did that. I really became a fan of Waxahatchee Post
S1: Saint Cloud. They covered Take Me Home Country Roads with Whitney,
S1: which is like my favorite song, which I talk about
S1: a lot. Um, so that's like an easy way to
S1: my heart.
S2: It's funny rating as well. Like I was reading interview
S2: with her talking about how. So she kind of got
S2: sober like before this album and, and you know, she
S2: talks about like the environment on tour and stuff and
S2: you know, what it's like around, you know, her shows
S2: and it's kind of like drinking drug free and that
S2: type of thing. And then, you know, I know we're
S2: going to touch on it. But like Kacey Musgraves very
S2: similarly has like, you know, spoken and writes a lot
S2: about getting sober in her new album. And it's kind
S2: of funny how there's this, like it's very much informing
S2: the music they make as well.
S1: Yeah, I think the other thing I couldn't help thinking
S1: it just doesn't always happen to me with music, but
S1: I really wanted to hear it live. Like, I feel
S1: like the the structure of the record, it's like you
S1: can sort of see almost the way that she's mapped
S1: out the order of the tracks. It sort of feels
S1: like that sounds like an opening to a live show.
S1: And yeah, like I said, I it's not a feeling
S1: I really have with the music, but there's something about
S1: the way she sequenced the songs, the, the journey that
S1: she sort of takes you on is like, damn, I'd
S1: love to like, be listening to this like the N
S1: more or something like that. And I really hope she
S1: does a tour here.
S3: Yes I completely. We do. Actually, I think that would
S3: be such a good gig to go and see.
S1: We mentioned, uh, Kacey Musgraves a couple of times on this,
S1: and that's the other record in this sort of space
S1: that we wanted to talk about one Americana songstress to another. Musgraves,
S1: I think, is much, much, much more popular than Waxahatchee
S1: in terms of like, commercial success. She's had quite a
S1: few Billboard top tens. I think both of these artists
S1: are in dialogue with one another, even though they're sort
S1: of probably have different audiences and aren't necessarily singing about
S1: exactly the same things. Golden Hour by Kacey Musgraves in
S1: 2018 is the album that I really clocked onto her with.
S1: It was before I became like, this weird country stand
S1: that I am.
UU: All that I know. As you caught me at the
UU: right time. In your go. But you.
S1: It was a much more like poppy country record, but
S1: it had heaps of electronic music and disco influences as well.
S1: We talked about her, I think last year she had
S1: the number one single with Zac Brown. I remember everything
S1: to a track I really, really like. Uh, that went
S1: to number one. And her latest record, Deeper Well, debuted
S1: at number two on the Billboard charts when it came
S1: out this month.
S6: My Saturn has returned.
UU: When I turned 27, everything started to change. Took a
UU: long time, but I learned. There's two kinds of people.
UU: One is a giver. The one's always trying to take
UU: all they can.
S1: They're bits of this album that I really, really like.
S1: Like the first two tracks, Cardinal and Deep a well,
S1: a really great it's like what Casey does best, I think.
S1: And then there's a lot of tracks that are like, fine. This,
S1: this one I was expecting. I was really excited for it.
S1: I thought that it would hit, and maybe it's because
S1: I was listening to it in conjunction with the Waxahatchee
S1: one and I'm like, wow. The songwriting just like, isn't
S1: quite at that level, even though Casey is very good
S1: at everything she does. Yeah, but I was a little
S1: bit underwhelmed by Casey's record.
S5: Yeah, I.
S3: Completely agree with you. And I would say Tiger's blood
S3: is way more interesting and more sophisticated album. I'm also
S3: saying with you, like, I really liked Golden Hour. That
S3: was kind of, I guess her in love album. And
S3: then was it Star-Crossed was the kind of one about
S3: her divorced. I thought they were quite good. This one.
S3: I mean, it just feels like she's a bit calm
S3: in this one. And like, it's about finding peace. And
S3: I don't know, I guess I just found it a
S3: bit unexciting compared to the past albums. It's kind of
S3: maybe almost a woowoo album in a bit, in a way.
S3: Like there's a lot of wellness going on.
S5: And Crystal wellness.
S1: Yeah, a lot of wellness. A lot of a lot
S1: of astrology, gravity bong stuff.
S3: Yeah. So I definitely feel like out of the two
S3: of those being in dialogue, Tiger's Blood is doing something
S3: much more interesting. Whereas I feel this isn't Casey at
S3: her peak, even though it's a fine enough album to
S3: listen to. As you said, I just think a lot
S3: of the tracks are pretty unremarkable.
S2: I mean, it's always nice to hear the term wake
S2: and bake in a lyric. I used to wake and
S2: bake and and everything. I did seem better when I
S2: was high. I've always been a big Casey fan. Um,
S2: I do think it's almost unfortunate that she's coming up
S2: against Tiger's blood. Um, because I do think Tiger's Blood
S2: probably is the slicker album. Um, and if you were
S2: to put both on, you know, like in very similar environments,
S2: I think Tiger's blood just melds around, you know, the
S2: general vibe much better. But I still really like this.
S2: And yeah, I, you know, I find her an interesting artist.
S2: I still get the sense that she's like. Not quite
S2: delivered her like seminal work just yet. Um, and so, like,
S2: you know, everyone goes through this and, and maybe it'll
S2: just take a bit longer to get to, you know,
S2: peak Kacey Musgraves. But yeah, I still just find it
S2: really interesting that we are in the midst of this.
S2: Like the more and more it's like we manifested this
S2: country thing and then now it's like, it's seriously it's everywhere.
S3: Manifesting is like the right word to for this album. Yeah, yeah.
S2: But yeah, it's, you know, like we said with with
S2: Katie Crutchfield. Like it's not really a case of her,
S2: like latching onto a trend. She's very much been in
S2: it for a while, but it just seems like more
S2: and more people are like talking about country and across,
S2: like all spectrums of the, you know, whether it's like
S2: Beyonce about to release her thing and then you've got
S2: these type of artists who really were doing it already.
S2: But yeah, it's just like, it's a good time to
S2: be a country hit.
S1: When you were talking about the kind of woowoo elements
S1: of this album, it reminded me of a of a
S1: thought I had while I listened to it. I couldn't
S1: help but think of, like Lorde's, uh, most recent album,
S1: Solar Power, which is very familiar, uh, if you listen
S1: to this one, in terms of like those kinds of themes,
S1: that wellness aesthetic. And then I read, um, Laura Snipes
S1: review of this record in Pitchfork. Laura Snipe, so I
S1: think is one of the best music writers around. I
S1: was she made a similar comment. I'm like, cool. I'm
S1: not just like, you know, being a crazy person. But
S1: she had a really interesting point. I thought she talked about, uh,
S1: this album and Solar Power by Lorde. Billie Eilish is
S1: happier than ever, Hayley Williams pedal for armor. And she
S1: talked about all of these albums. And I think there's
S1: an element of this in Tiger's Blood as well, where
S1: these artists are kind of reckoning with the peak of
S1: fame that they experienced a record or two records ago
S1: and are then withdrawing. They're not taking a big swing.
S1: They're not trying to create an entirely new sound that
S1: they're sonically going to a place that feels a bit
S1: more comfortable. But then writing about pretty simple things like,
S1: like not about being in love, not about divorce, not
S1: these heady ideas around addiction and stuff, but just like, yeah,
S1: how Saturn's returned. That's pretty fun. Like, I used to
S1: smoke and I don't smoke that much anymore, which I
S1: think is nice. It's nice to withdraw to a place
S1: that feels a bit more intimate and not have to
S1: share necessarily, every single thing going on in your head
S1: and in your heart. But I wonder if part of
S1: that is also because of the spotlight and the pressure
S1: that is shone on young female pop or music stars
S1: in particular. And once you have a taste of that
S1: intense fame in this current era of social media pressure
S1: and everything being dissected, you kind of want to withdraw
S1: a little bit. You're like, I'll make an album. I
S1: hope it does well, but I don't necessarily want this
S1: to be one where I've got a tour for two
S1: years and just like, have my life interrogated as I
S1: did last time, if that makes sense.
S2: It's like basically the anti Taylor Swift movement then, because
S2: she does the opposite, where she's like each album is
S2: more and more like spectacularly popular and will be, you know,
S2: follow a massive world tour.
S3: Yeah. I mean, I think it's a really good point
S3: and it's a hard balance to find the kind of
S3: withdrawing without losing substance, keeping that lightness that they're trying
S3: to convey without making it feel like there's nothing to
S3: hold on to. It is a very hard balance to
S3: to get right. And I do think, like some of
S3: these albums grow on you. And I think with Lorde's
S3: Solar Power, the Clairo album you mentioned, they do grow
S3: on you the more you listen to them, like they
S3: might be albums that reward more serious and consistent listening
S3: then the kind of immediate, you know, serotonin rush you
S3: get when you hear, like, a pop banger.
S1: Hmm. You mentioned, um, Taylor Swift, Thomas. It's really interesting. Like,
S1: I feel like Evermore and Folklore fit into that sort
S1: of category. I think Evermore and Folklore would have been
S1: albums that Taylor Swift would have struggled to tour on
S1: their own because they're so, like laid back and relatively
S1: simple compared to the expected of others. So that's why
S1: they featured as part of the Eras tour, because you
S1: can do it all. But I almost feel like that
S1: was also tales of being like, look, I don't want
S1: to do a whole new thing with a whole dramatic
S1: rollout and like, reinvent myself. I'm just going to make
S1: good kind of, again, country, indie, Americana music that I'm
S1: really good at and not have to stress too much
S1: about the spectacle of it, which is interesting and like,
S1: I like none of this is to say that it's
S1: good or bad. It's just interesting to observe maybe the
S1: the recoil of some of these artists from where they
S1: were a couple of years ago.
S3: Yeah. And maybe that is a good segue into the
S3: next album we wanted to talk about as well, Ariana Grande,
S3: because I think her latest album, Eternal Sunshine, which is
S3: her first since 2020, it is her pulling back in
S3: an Ariana Grande way, like, obviously the sounds are very different.
S5: Great thank.
S3: You's. Thank you so much. Um, uh, obviously it's very
S3: different to those two. It is a pop album, but
S3: compared to the way she has usually belted out her
S3: her songs, this is a way more subtle and less
S3: showy album.
S7: I don't care what people say. We both know I
S7: couldn't change you.
UU: I guess you could say the same.
S7: Can't beat the reigns.
UU: Truth. I've never seen someone lie like you do so much.
UU: Even you have to think it's true. Woo!
S3: I mean, the other segue that sticks out with Kacey
S3: Musgraves is the whole Saturn Returns thing. Everyone's Saturn is returning.
S3: Ariana has a song about Saturn Returns. Obviously deeper well
S3: is talking about a Saturn return. Um, scissor has a
S3: song where she's talking about Saturn Returns as well. Adele
S3: obviously talked about it when her kind of seminal 30
S3: album came out. Do you want.
S1: To break it down for herself? Anyone listening who's not
S1: familiar with the concept of one's Saturn Return?
S3: Yeah. Look, I don't know astrologically, but something to do
S3: with Saturn returning. But I think essentially it's meant to
S3: be this thing that like, it happens every 30 years
S3: or so. And when you're Saturn is in return, it's
S3: a time of great change and kind of pivotal decisions
S3: and movements in your life. And it given it happens
S3: every 30 years or so. Obviously, a lot of these
S3: singers are in their 30s now and big things are
S3: happening in their life. And so they're calling it their
S3: Saturn return. Actors have talked about it as well. Emma
S3: Watson I mean, realistically, I think that's kind of a
S3: natural period of change that people are now kind of
S3: branding as a Saturn return to kind of try and
S3: make some meaning out of life. But still it's obviously
S3: caught on at the moment. And yeah, it's a big
S3: part of Ariana's album because this album comes on the
S3: back of, you know, she was married, she's got to fall.
S3: She's in a new relationship with her co-star Ethan Slater.
S3: There's been heaps of media attention on her, and this
S3: album kind of very directly engages in, in all of
S3: that speculation around her personal life in a very unabashed way.
UU: I'll play the villain if you need me to. I
UU: know how this goes. Yeah, I'll be the one you
UU: pay to see play the scene. Brother, can I please
UU: turn in like a dime. Wasting all the time thinking
UU: like a creep in the night.
S3: Kind of does the opposite. It is more of a
S3: Taylor move. It's like this is my era. This is
S3: my stories. This is how I feel. Do you guys
S3: like this album?
S2: Not really, to be honest. Like, it's very short and
S2: it felt really like one long song to me. I've
S2: never been like a massive Ariana fan, and I think,
S2: you know, we've spoken so much about, I guess, like
S2: the current class of these like pop stars. We talk
S2: about Taylor a lot. We did a particular episode on
S2: Olivia and I both. I just find them both so
S2: much more talented and interesting and diverse than Ariana. Like,
S2: I get her product and stuff and I can see
S2: why people are really into her. And I think she's
S2: obviously a talented performer, but I yeah, just in terms
S2: of like musically, I don't really love her. And I,
S2: I listened to this album twice, once on the train
S2: and once at home and again, like, I don't think
S2: I could sit here and pull out like three big
S2: moments for you. For me, it just blurred into one
S2: really long song that I wanted to be over soon.
S1: Yeah. It didn't. It didn't really hit for me either.
S1: And I, I've enjoyed like around and stuff in the past,
S1: but this one felt like a bit like tossed off. Right.
S1: Like the the sound is very same. And that makes sense.
S1: That's produced entirely by Max Madden and another Swedish producer
S1: guy called Elias. So there's a very sameness to the sound,
S1: but also the lyrics feel like very uninspired. There's not
S1: a lot I thought going on there that felt particularly
S1: creative or fun, you know, with any particular hooks or
S1: anything else? There are a couple of tracks that did
S1: jump out only because, I mean, they've been part of
S1: the discourse around the samples and interpolations. I think it
S1: was the first single. Yes. And which is like a
S1: clear nod to To Vogue, uh, by by Madonna. But
S1: there's this little controversy brewing about this track. We can't
S1: be friends.
UU: Baby girl. It's just me and you. Because I know.
S1: Argue if you listen to it sounds very similar to
S1: a little track by Robyn called Dancing on My Own.
UU: Somebody said, you got a new friend. Does she love
UU: you better than I can?
S1: The song sounds a lot like that. Uh, Robin famously
S1: did work very closely with Max Martin at the start
S1: of her career, but Max didn't produce Dancing on My Own,
S1: and I'm really interested to see where this goes because
S1: there is so much drama with artists referencing interpolating things
S1: like Olivia Rodrigo's been, you know, criticized for not crediting songs,
S1: and then people add credits and say, yes, that chord,
S1: you know, progression was influenced by this. It's surprising to
S1: see Ariana not acknowledge this when so many of her
S1: songs in the past and on this album do explicitly
S1: rely on interpolating old things. So that being the most
S1: interesting part of this album is probably not a great
S1: endorsement of it. Because I'm interested in the conversation, I
S1: don't really feel the need to listen to many of
S1: these songs again.
S3: Yeah, I am interested in that because they do sound.
S3: You know how sometimes when you hear artists claiming you
S3: know that their sound is being ripped off? Sometimes you
S3: have to listen quite carefully to kind of understand what's
S3: going on. Even with some of the Olivia Rodrigo and
S3: Taylor Swift ones, you can't automatically see Taylor Swift in it.
S3: But I mean, you really can't see that this is
S3: a complete. Well, it does sound like a Robin knockoff,
S3: so that is interesting. I think maybe you guys are
S3: being a bit harsh, I think. Yes. And is like catchy.
S3: I really like the boys mind. Like, I think there's
S3: a real Y2K thing, which I think is quite fun
S3: on that. I don't want to break up again. Like,
S3: I get what you're saying. I think it's a quieter album,
S3: so the hits aren't quite as in-your-face, but I do
S3: think there's some good tracks on this and they are catchy,
S3: though I completely agree with you that her lyrical ability is.
S3: I mean, when you compare it to Tiger's Blood is
S3: just not there. Like, she's not a great songwriter, but
S3: I do think some of these songs are more catchy
S3: and the album is not. I think it's still a
S3: highlight of the maybe, maybe.
S1: I mean, it went to number one. I said that
S1: Casey went to number two. It was beaten by Ariana's.
S1: I mean, Ariana's obviously enormously popular. She's about to be
S1: in wicked. That's going to be massive. It's pretty big
S1: for her. Drop this album, get number one. And then
S1: being probably what will be an extremely financially successful film.
S1: It's so funny how like, I mean, I don't expect
S1: Ariana to drop like a wicked themed solo album, but
S1: it is just feels like these are in two completely
S1: different universes. So more power to her, I guess. Flexibility
S1: and being able to do all of these things at
S1: the same time.
S2: She's such a musical theater kid, isn't she? She's just like,
S2: you can see her rock a Stanford or.
S5: Whatever, and she's been.
S3: Dressing kind of as the characters from wicked, like, oh,
S3: she seems to be in red carpet appearances and stuff,
S3: which is, yeah, not helping with that vibe.
S1: Okay, so from one pop R&B album to another, this
S1: is maybe after Tiger's Blood, my second fave release I've
S1: heard this year. This is the debut album from Tyler,
S1: the South African artist who had a really big hit
S1: last year with water.
UU: Make me holler, make me lose my breath. Make me
UU: wanna make me sweat. It made me hotter. Make me
UU: lose my breath. Make me wanna come early. I could
UU: keep my cool.
S1: But tonight the album is self-titled. It's called Tyler. And yeah,
S1: it rocks. This is really, really fun. It's very Afrobeats, uh,
S1: infused pop music. The production is mad. She sounds awesome.
S1: There's a consistent sort of feeling to the sound, but
S1: the tracks are diverse and different and interesting enough that
S1: unlike the Ariana record, it doesn't really feel that same.
S1: And there's some really fun collabs with who I think
S1: some of the more interesting artists from around the world
S1: right now is Nigerian rapper Tems. My favorite track is
S1: this one jump that has gunna and this Jamaican dancehall
S1: artist rap a skill bang.
S8: That's what they prefer.
UU: I don't touch no wheel cause I got a chauffeur
UU: for his class. How I get around the world. Just
UU: miss me.
S7: With the drama. Unless you call me with the commas.
S7: Or do you turn the sound up. Cause we're about
S7: to pour.
UU: The rounds up. I think Tyler's.
S1: One to watch. Man, I think this record is is really,
S1: really good.
S3: Oh, man, I wish it was still summer because this
S3: is like my album of summer. Like, right here. I was, like,
S3: a bit concerned because I thought water was, like, quite
S3: like water was fun.
S5: Can you see this of you?
S3: And I was a bit concerned. I was like, oh no,
S3: they've now rushed this album out. Is this like a
S3: tape McRae greedy situation? We've got one.
S5: Really good.
S3: Good song and then the rest of the album is
S3: not really going to shine. But I mean, this feels
S3: like a Rihanna void for me, right? Like it is
S3: just so fun. And I think she described it. I
S3: read an interview where she described it as it's sunny
S3: with music bumping and everyone in ripped clothing, and that
S3: is what this album gives me. Just good times vibe
S3: and as well as like the features, which are all
S3: really good, I thought Breathe Me was such a good song.
S3: So yeah, I think this album will stick around and
S3: I know we've got now a while to wait till
S3: our summer, but I hope it survives. You know? I
S3: hope it's still on the radio then so we can
S3: all enjoy it.
S2: Yeah, I'm exactly the same. It's like just it's such
S2: a fun album to listen to. Um, she says on
S2: like on On and On, which is one of my
S2: favorite songs, the follow up single to water, she says,
S2: let's take it back in time, party like it's 1995.
S2: And I'm like, she was probably like two years old.
S2: I was like six then, but when I sing it,
S2: I'm like, fuck yeah, let's go back to the 1995. Like,
S2: it's just, I.
S1: Don't know if she would have been born then. Yeah.
S2: How old is she? But, uh, yeah. Like I, I agree,
S2: and it is weird. It feels almost like very much
S2: it's got that same energy, uh, as, like the early
S2: Rihanna vibes and, you know, this whole thing of, like, amapiano,
S2: the South African kind of style that, you know, she like,
S2: that's basically what she does. And just like watching and
S2: reading her kind of take that to America, where they
S2: often struggle to like, digest different styles has been really interesting.
S2: And I saw this article comparing her to like, the
S2: early days of Shakira, when Shakira kind of came with this,
S2: a heavy reggaeton and they just didn't know what to do,
S2: but they knew they liked it. And I always find
S2: that really interesting. Um, you know, and you've seen her,
S2: she's now become almost part of the celebrity dialogue in America.
S2: Like she I saw pictures of her the other day,
S2: like courtside at the Lakers and she was wearing a
S2: fucking wet singlet. That one of the Kanye singlets. Like
S2: she's in the guys now. People are talking about her.
S2: And I just think she really deserves to be there.
S2: And I do suspect that she'll be like a big
S2: star for the next ten years.
S1: Yeah. She said that she wants to be the first
S1: global pop megastar from Africa. I think that Shakira comparison
S1: is so interesting because, yeah, I mean, like that kind
S1: of music. Reggaeton is so big globally now, but it
S1: took a long time and a lot of artists plugging
S1: away to do it, not getting taken seriously in the
S1: US for a while. I think streaming and the way
S1: that anyone around the world can access and find these
S1: artists and boost their streaming numbers and kind of send
S1: them viral, helps people like Tyler now, like, I guess,
S1: build an audience and get taken seriously. I think collaborating
S1: with that Afrobeats, the Nigerian rappers, the Jamaican dancehall stuff
S1: is also really smart because that stuff has been bleeding
S1: into like UK and US hip hop for the last
S1: couple of years too. So really smart way to break
S1: into a bunch of different genres. Yeah, I also like
S1: your Rihanna comparison. Well, I wouldn't be surprised if Tyler
S1: ends up being someone that gets compared to her a
S1: lot more in the future.
S9: Make me.
S5: Do.
S3: The dance.
S1: All right. There's there's one more album we wanted to touch,
S1: and we've talked about a bunch of really great women
S1: artists in some really interesting and exciting genres. My favorite genre,
S1: Thomas favorite genre since we were kids was called hip hop.
S1: I'm feeling pretty down and out on the genre right now.
S1: I feel like we're in a funk with sandwiched by
S1: these like old guard of dudes who've run out of
S1: things to say, and Kanye and this newer generation of like, younger,
S1: very like, I'm going to make music for Spotify. I'm
S1: influenced by SoundCloud. I'll drop 2090 second tracks a week,
S1: kind of a thing that just feels like a churn,
S1: and very few of those seems to break through. There
S1: are a couple of cool hip hop things I do
S1: want to shout out a little bit later on, but
S1: like basically, I've not been feeling super excited. I heard
S1: that there was a Future and Metro Boomin joint collaboration
S1: album coming two of, I think, the most important and
S1: influential hip hop artists of the past. Like kind of
S1: decade or decade and a half. Metro Boomin is, I think,
S1: like one of the greatest producers of his generation. I
S1: would compare him to Beethoven in terms of his composition
S1: and the kinds of music that he's made. He's produced
S1: a stack of tracks with future already, including Low Life
S1: and Mask Off is a very big, popular track, so
S1: the fact that they were working on a whole album
S1: together got me excited. Hip hop's coming back. The album dropped.
S1: It's called We Don't Trust You. It features guest appearances
S1: from The weekend, Travis Scott, Playboi Carti, Kendrick Lamar, Rick Ross.
S1: It attracted headlines because Kendrick's verse take some shots at
S1: Drake and J. Cole. We get into that too. But man,
S1: I gotta say again, very underwhelmed. Like Metro Boomin delivers
S1: on this album, he's very good at making beats.
S10: I've been on a couple my toes, but I still
S10: stuck to the car. Money, my pockets, my.
UU: Taking my pollen out. Anything in?
S10: Take me anywhere.
UU: I'm taking over the truck. I see the real club. Where?
UU: Claudia pop in to reappear. Hide in Beverly Hills. I
UU: got too much beer. I give a bitch cheers to
UU: all the.
S1: Creatures rapping about Porsche Cayenne. He's rhyming Cayenne with cayenne.
S1: It's just like he seems to have given up and
S1: he's now, I think, I don't know, sort of sadly
S1: fall into that same category of these artists who know
S1: that they'll get a stack of streams, whatever they release.
S1: Not a lot of thought, not a lot of care.
S1: Not feeling great about this album, but am enjoying the
S1: hip hop beef that it seems to have ignited. Mel,
S1: very interested in your thoughts on the trajectory of future
S1: Metro Boomin and what this means for hip hop? What
S1: do you got to say?
S5: Wow.
S3: So I've only listened to this album once, which, uh, on,
S3: you know, just because I knew it was important to you. Um, I.
S1: Appreciate you doing.
S5: That.
S3: You're welcome. I was quite underwhelmed by, I don't know,
S3: it just felt like a throwback to kind of hip
S3: hop of ten, 15 years ago. And I'm like, I'm
S3: not a huge fan of the genre or the kind
S3: of hip hop I do listen to is often involves women. Um,
S3: but I yeah, I don't know. I found this album
S3: kind of boring and predictable and like, I quite like
S3: Kendrick and I actually kind of don't think he'd probably
S3: make disses on his own album like this, which maybe
S3: speaks to the respect that he has for this. Right?
S3: Because that's not really what he does. It just felt
S3: like a bit of a silly album, but I'm excited
S3: to hear more from Thomas. You can explain the dis
S3: and also what you what you thought, because I'm sure
S3: there's lots going on that I'm not picking up in
S3: terms of the lyrics and the features.
S2: Uh, yeah, I feel the same. Like it's funny watching
S2: this week. I don't know, like if you guys have
S2: seen it, but like on the internet, Doctor Dre has
S2: got his, like, Hollywood Walk of Fame star.
S11: Chamber of Commerce. I now declare today, Doctor Dre Day
S11: in Hollywood.
S12: This is Dre Day, March 19th. Dre day. Okay. I love.
S2: It. You know how they do, though. Isn't often they have, like,
S2: you know, famous friends come along to the unveiling and
S2: at his one, it was like Dre, Snoop, Eminem and
S2: 50 cent, four of the greatest artists of all time.
S2: But it was like, you know, just like so many
S2: of my friends, that was like the hip hop we
S2: grew up with. And, you know, all of them in
S2: their own ways, have become like, you know, have not
S2: aged particularly well. But when I think back to like
S2: the albums like 2001 and Still Dre and like The
S2: Chronic like this was like really the hip hop that
S2: I think informed a lot of my tastes. And even
S2: as I've grown like to see that and then to
S2: look at where we are now, like, I just find
S2: this joint project to be, like, so indicative of probably
S2: all the problems that streaming has created. Like these people
S2: just pump out works now without any consideration. I found
S2: this album so boring, like an even and even, you know,
S2: we talked about it a lot, but even like Drake,
S2: who I love, like For All the Dogs again like
S2: that really did nothing for me. The album before that,
S2: nothing for me. Like it's just that this race to
S2: produce content and get it out and, and perhaps in
S2: every project is like 1 to 2 good songs, but like,
S2: I can't sit here. Besides, probably for Me To Pimp
S2: a Butterfly, the last great like, hip hop album, it
S2: feels like the genre is like collapsing in on itself
S2: at a time when all these other genres are like
S2: going from strength to strength. Like we are really in
S2: this country here, a bit. Hip hop, which celebrated its
S2: like 50th birthday last year and should be arguably, you know,
S2: it's the dominant genre of pop culture in a lot
S2: of ways. It informs like the way people talk and
S2: dress and all these different things, and yet it seems
S2: to be like, absolutely. On life support and the very
S2: sad reality that the biggest headline or talking points come
S2: out of this is like fucking two lines from Kendrick
S2: about Drake and and J. Cole just feels like an
S2: indictment on the whole album. Now, I was gonna.
S3: Say it's actually quite nice hearing you say that, because
S3: when I was listening to it, as someone who's not
S3: so well versed in kind of obviously I know all
S3: these big albums that you're talking about and all the
S3: kind of milestone ones, but someone who's not so well
S3: versed into it, and my first impression being the exact
S3: same as your impression, really does speak to there being,
S3: you know, something going on in this genre that's not great. Mhm.
S1: Yeah. And even even the beef I mean everyone's like
S1: wanting to talk about it because it seems exciting but
S1: like like who cares. Like literally who cares. This was
S1: ten years ago when these guys were like super relevant
S1: and like super interesting and driving culture forward maybe. But like,
S1: no one even really knows what it's about. Is it
S1: about like this goal? Is it about, you know, like nothing.
S1: Is it just an attempt to drum up controversy? Probably.
S1: I can't get excited about it. I think what you
S1: articulated about the, the state of, of rap is really,
S1: really sharp. I think maybe, maybe some of it was inevitable.
S1: Like when your genre, your culture becomes so big, so successful,
S1: you're at the peak, there's nowhere to go but down.
S1: And this, this current mode of just pumping out these records,
S1: doing it from a streaming perspective, keeping the beast fed
S1: like the bottom will fall out of that eventually. And
S1: some interesting artists will come through from what's left. Maybe
S1: engaging with country stuff, who knows? But definitely the most interesting,
S1: like hip hop records I've listened to lately, are coming
S1: from artists who haven't released stuff in a very long time,
S1: and that's great because you know that they've thought about it,
S1: you know that they really want to come back and
S1: say something interesting. One of those is Schoolboy Q's record,
S1: Blue Lips. It's been five years since the last schoolboy
S1: Q record. It's really good. It's really exciting. It's different.
S1: It's fun.
S13: Bring the money. Bring it over now.
UU: Bring the money back. And bring the dope and bring
UU: the money back here. Bring the dope. Bring it home.
UU: Bring the money back. Bring. Don't bring the whole. Bring
UU: the money back. To bring.
S13: The. Does not bring the money back. To bring the
S13: money back. To pay off the money back to. Bring
S13: the money back saying we got drunk. Bring the money back.
S1: He says a lot of interesting and smart things. It's great.
S1: It doesn't feel like he's just feeding the Spotify algorithm
S1: for the sake of it. The other one that I
S1: wanted to mention, I don't know if you guys are
S1: across James, he's a rapper from Queens who's in Das
S1: Racist and Sweatshop Boys, which was his collaboration with Ahmed,
S1: the actor. He's got this new album called La Fonda.
S1: It's awesome. Again, I think it's his first solo album
S1: or his first project in a very long time. So
S1: there are these cool things bubbling away. But as far
S1: as like mainstream commercial hip hop, even that used to
S1: be really, really good and really, really interesting and I
S1: just don't think it is anymore. So I feel a
S1: bit sad about it. I'm very stoked to have these
S1: great other records like we're talking about to listen to,
S1: but I'm waiting for someone to come through and like,
S1: rescue mainstream rap. I feel like you would feel similarly, Thomas.
S2: I do, and that's why Osborne and I are announcing
S2: our joint project today. No, I agree, uh, like, you know,
S2: it is it is really fun to be in this
S2: era of like country dominance. And we all love country
S2: here except for Mel. But like, it's hopefully, uh, maybe
S2: this time next year we'll be talking about a resurgence
S2: in hip hop or in the next few years at least.
S2: But yeah, I think you are really right in that we,
S2: you know, hip hop just had such a huge, like
S2: massive explosion and seeped into every aspect of culture. And
S2: and now it's become so diluted that, you know, like
S2: it's just found itself kind of painted into a corner
S2: and no one really knows what's good anymore or what
S2: constitutes like the culture. And so, yeah, I it is
S2: a funny place for it to be in. But I
S2: will always have hope.
S3: And I do think like that is the natural way
S3: of kind of cultural change and how it happens, you know,
S3: each decade and each generation like these, this is how
S3: waves of change happen. The act, the reaction, the act. Like,
S3: I guess I can see how you know something new
S3: and good will come out of this, but maybe that
S3: kind of golden moment has passed in the same way
S3: you guys might say it's past the prestige TV or,
S3: you know, you do see, in other genres as well.
S1: I mean, we wanted to talk about this just briefly,
S1: but like, I think it's indicative of where things are
S1: at that Beyoncé is making a country record. Lana Del
S1: Rey is making a country record. Taylor Swift tortured police
S1: department don't know much about it, but like, it's not
S1: going to be hip hop. Um, but, you know, she
S1: did she did flirt with that genre like, and has
S1: in the past that there's, there's a sonic pivot away
S1: from the influence of rap and R&B in this current
S1: era of pop music. That's exciting. Like, I'm excited for
S1: the Beyonce record. I'm excited for the Lana record. Do
S1: you guys have any any sort of vibes about how
S1: you feel about those?
S2: Yeah, I mean, I think I'm really excited for the
S2: Beyonce record just because like, a Beyonce release is like
S2: a moment, you know, and all three of us, I think,
S2: get really excited about cultural moments that like sees everyone's
S2: obsession and people pick apart. We are all that way inclined,
S2: I would say. So, like any Beyonce album, is like
S2: a time to lock in and engage with, like the visuals,
S2: the lyrics, the music. So like I in that respect,
S2: I'm really excited. I'm also like the two songs that
S2: have been released. I feel like, um, Texas Hold'em. I'm
S2: like already got fatigue with it's just on everyone's Instagram story. So, uh,
S2: in that way I'm like, oh, but it's funny. Like
S2: I'm really excited for that. I'm excited for Lana Del Rey.
S2: I do think, and this is through no fault of
S2: her own. Um, but like Taylor Swift having a new
S2: record in less than, like three weeks, I'm like, oh God,
S2: I feel like I'm still recovering from that.
S1: I mean, through no fault of her own kind of
S1: fault over just being absolutely everywhere.
S2: And yeah, but like I guess specifically in Australia here,
S2: like we and.
S1: Yeah. Right. Right, right. Yeah, yeah.
S2: Consumed and covered her um, so much. And so the
S2: fact that we'll be like, I've been quite enjoying my
S2: Taylor break.
S1: We see those photos of her and Travis in the Bahamas.
S5: Yeah, I did actually. Okay. Wow.
S2: Like, he's got a pretty ordinary rig. He's like a
S2: tight end. Like, in for, like, an NFL player. And
S2: he looks like, I don't know I actually.
S5: Like try that with the.
S3: NFL players.
S5: All right.
S1: The season's the season's finished right. He's been out partying.
S1: He's been traveling. He's been you know going to Nobu.
S1: You know he's he's he's he's letting himself have some
S1: fun I don't know if we want to like you
S1: know he's probably not in his peak performance like Thomas Hue.
S1: When we're not recording these videos, you sometimes, you know,
S1: you indulge a bit more and then you get to
S1: your peak shape. No, no.
S2: He said he just he just looked so regular. But
S2: do you.
S3: Feel like the NFL players are often like that? I
S3: feel like they're not kind of they're not like the
S3: basketball players. Well, not all the basketball players, but like,
S3: you know, they're not physically always that fit. Obviously the
S3: quarterbacks are. But some of those other they're just muscle right.
S3: Like hired help. They're just.
S5: Bulk.
S2: Yes sure. I guess I'll probably end up texting uh,
S2: he's dead.
S5: He's dead.
S2: So we've got like a we have a story, we've
S2: got like a weird text relationship now.
S1: No, you have not told me this.
S2: So like, I obviously interviewed him. When for that story
S2: when Taylor was out here. And then on the day that.
S2: What's the brother's name? Jason. When Jason Kelsey retired, he
S2: did a really nice. Did you guys see his retirement speech? Yeah,
S2: it was beautiful.
S1: Everyone was tearing up. It was like.
S2: I was like a bit boozed.
S5: And I was like, I'm gonna text Editor Kelsey.
S2: And so I texted him, I'm like, hey, man, just
S2: watch your son's thing. It was amazing. And then he
S2: loved harder. It was like, thanks. We are so proud.
S2: So now there's, like, communication open, um, between me and
S2: editor Kelsey.
S1: You should tell him you think his son, his other son, Travis,
S1: is not looking that great. See what he said? Yeah, maybe.
S2: I'll take a screenshot and send it to him and
S2: be like, what's.
S5: You working on?
S2: This is okay. Look, I.
S1: Thought they look nice. So having a nice time, I
S1: felt a bit sad that they sort of got papped
S1: for it, but yeah, they're in love. Remember like a
S1: few months ago when we're all convinced it was, uh,
S1: not all of us. Some of us were convinced that
S1: it was not real. It feels very real. I'm very
S1: happy for them.
S2: It does? Yeah. And yes, I am constantly reminded by
S2: some of my friends about what I said at the
S2: start of the relationship when I was like, it's.
S9: All set up.
S2: So weird that for the first time I was wrong.
S3: It's good for you to be held to account. I
S3: think sometimes.
S5: Before we.
S1: Wrap up the music part of this podcast, um, that
S1: was a fun little detour. There was one other thing
S1: that I wanted to show that we are an Australian podcast. And,
S1: you know, we've talked a bit about Australian music on
S1: the show this year. I shout out the middle kids record,
S1: which I thought was really good, but there's an EP
S1: from this Melbourne trio called Glass Beams, which I really,
S1: really like. This band is way bigger internationally than they
S1: are in Australia. The EP is called Mahal, that very
S1: khruangbin sort of vibes from Glass Beams, psychedelic jazz, funk stuff, instrumental.
S1: They've been blowing up all over the world. I think
S1: they've got nearly a million Instagram followers now. They've got
S1: more than a million monthly Spotify listens. That global tour
S1: across Europe and the Middle East, I think is basically
S1: sold out. Very cool aesthetic. When they perform, they wear
S1: these like bejeweled kind of masks, so you don't really
S1: know who they are if you're into that Khruangbin sound.
S1: Could not recommend glass beams more. Really stoked to see
S1: this Melbourne group get a lot of love internationally. Anything
S1: else you guys want to shout out?
S3: Have you listened to Empress of new album?
S5: No, no.
S3: This is like when we're talking about what era I'm in.
S3: I think this is my era. It's called For Your Consideration.
S3: It's so fun.
S14: Decision.
S7: For your courses.
UU: Iteration for your classes. Iteration. You sent me photos from
UU: other hemispheres.
S3: You said it's just a bit silly. There's great songs.
S3: Lorelei Tsuchiya, which means dirty in Spanish. Um, it's got
S3: really cool features. Rina Sawayama on it. Muna. I think
S3: it's a really fun album and worth a hit. Like
S3: if you're kind of in the I mean, I'm not
S3: going to compare it to, um, to Tyler, but it's
S3: it is a fun album. Silly, a bit ironic. I
S3: think it's really good. It's the best thing she's done.
S3: So yeah, if you don't want the heavy rap, try that.
S2: We'd be bumping that on the way to Europe this week.
S5: I absolutely.
S3: Will be. It is a good holiday mood.
S1: Before we wrap up the episode for the week, we
S1: have our usual Impress Your Friends segment where we share
S1: something we watched, listened to, read, or otherwise enjoyed. Thomas,
S1: why don't you go first?
S2: Uh, okay, cool. I am going to start impress My
S2: friends by impressing both of my friends on this podcast,
S2: because I think I have a show that you are
S2: both going to lose your minds over. Wow. It comes
S2: out here on binge in two days on March the 30th.
S2: It is Jared Carmichael reality show. Do you guys know
S2: about this show? I don't know.
S1: About the show. I've obviously know Jared Carmichael very into
S1: Jared Carmichael.
S2: So yes okay. Excited. Just so next week or in
S2: two weeks, we'll pull this clip when you guys are like,
S2: Holy shit, man, this is one of the best shows
S2: of the year. It is such a crazy like experimental show.
S2: Basically Jared Carmichael, who will, I think, kind of enjoy.
S2: He's a he's a comedian. He's a super smart guy. Um,
S2: he won an Emmy for his 2022 special with Daniel
S2: where he came out, and he's basically one of the
S2: most interesting comics, I think, working right now. This show
S2: is really like he's basically made a reality show about himself.
S2: It is like every inch of his life. He's invited
S2: cameras into it, features like really uncomfortable conversations with his parents,
S2: his friends, his lover. You know, in the first episode,
S2: he basically sits down with Tyler, the creator, and has this,
S2: like excruciating conversation where he asks Tyler why Tyler cut
S2: him out of his life after Jerrod told Tyler that
S2: he had feelings for him. But it's like he says
S2: in the trailer, I'm trying to Truman Show myself, and
S2: it really is a perfect description. It's one of the
S2: most original TV shows I've seen since The Curse. Jared
S2: is very likable. You guys will love this. I can't
S2: recommend it. And also, if you tell your friends that
S2: you watch this show, you'll sound really smart. So that's
S2: my one for this week.
S1: That's the point of this segment. That sounds awesome. I
S1: feel like a lot of people probably know Jerrod Carmichael
S1: from his monologue at the Globes a couple of years
S1: ago when he when he brought the Globes kind of
S1: back and made a lot of fun of them for,
S1: for kind of race related reasons. But I'm really hot
S1: for that show. Thanks for putting it on the radar.
S5: Yeah, that sounds so good.
S1: Mel, what have you got?
S3: All right, I've picked a book. Whatever. Go make your comments.
S3: Go on. I picked a book and I'm happy with
S3: my choice. It's called martyr. It's by the Iranian American
S3: poet Keva Akhbar. It is such an amazing debut. I
S3: feel like very often, like I read so many debuts
S3: and they never. What was.
S5: That? What did you say? It just.
S2: Sounded like a.
S5: Flex. Oh, no. I'm drowning in debuts. All I'm doing
S5: is the opposite.
S3: It's the opposite of it. So many kind of don't
S3: hit the mark that this is like, properly an author
S3: to watch. And I kind of got wind of this
S3: because the New York Times Book Review put it on
S3: its cover. And like, it's very rare for them to
S3: give that much space and attention to a debut author. And,
S3: you know, what they put on their cover is kind
S3: of the book that they are saying is the important one.
S3: This is, um, the story. It follows a young man
S3: born in Persia. He was taken to the States by
S3: his father. His mother was on the Iran Air Flight 655,
S3: which was shot down, um, by the US when it
S3: was on its way over the Persian Gulf to to Dubai.
S3: And he's kind of struggled with, you know, mental illness, depression, addiction.
S3: He's trying to write poetry. It's just a really well
S3: done book. It's very interesting but funny. It's not just
S3: a straight read. It's doing something different. It's dealing with
S3: a lot of big issues, but in a way that
S3: doesn't feel to play music. I just think it's a
S3: really impressive first novel, and unlike a lot of books
S3: I've read, it's doing something quite different to a lot
S3: of the other books out there at the moment. So, um,
S3: and I do think, I think you would like it
S3: Oseman and Thomas.
S1: My, um, my recommendation, uh, for the week is an
S1: animated series called invincible. It's on Amazon Prime. It's been
S1: out for a couple of years. Second season just finished.
S1: It's really, really interesting. It's executive produced by Seth Rogen
S1: and Evan Goldberg. They're also the EP's On the Boys
S1: on Amazon Prime. And if you like that show, you
S1: will love this one. It's the Boys is very violent,
S1: very sharp superhero satire. This is basically that an animated form.
S1: It's about this teen superhero called Mark, who's actually voiced
S1: by Steven Yuen from beef, who we love. He's basically
S1: got like Superman esque powers, and he's trying to deal
S1: with that while growing up. And that might sound familiar
S1: as like a just another superhero story, but it is
S1: very aware of the limitations of the kind of Marvel
S1: DC approach and the saturation point we're at with, like,
S1: superhero stuff and is engaging with that. It's sort of
S1: deconstructing it in a very fun and sharp way. And
S1: the voice cast. It's got JK Simmons as his dad,
S1: Sandra Oh as his mum. Gillian Jacobs has a recurring role.
S1: Jon Hamm plays like an extra in the first episode.
S1: It's a really, really cool cast, really cool animation, a
S1: really fun watch. So worth getting into if you just
S1: need something to to watch and you're not quite sure
S1: you're drowning in choice, give invincible a go.
S2: That is a really stacked cast.
S5: Yeah, and oh great recommendations guys. Yeah, that was actually
S5: really good.
S2: Impressive friends this week.
S1: Well, with the praise we're giving each others a major before.
S5: Yeah.
S1: Before we sign off a little bit of news mail
S1: you we reference heading overseas. You're going to be missing
S1: from the pod for the next few weeks. We're very
S1: sad to not have you. Thomas and I will try
S1: and keep keep it down, but have a wonderful time.
S3: Thank you. I'll miss you very much, I'm sure. Well,
S3: I know we will stay in touch, but, um.
S5: Will you listen?
S3: Of course I'll listen. Um, so try and, like, put
S3: some Easter eggs to me in the, in the apps. Um,
S3: and I'll be back in no time. And do you
S3: want any souvenirs from overseas?
S2: Uh, I wouldn't mind something from Dubai, but next week
S2: we're actually going to do, uh, actually, the next few weeks,
S2: we're just going to do book.
S5: Stuff.
S1: In Europe next week. Actually, we have a very exciting episode.
S1: We're going to be talking about Monkey Man, the debut
S1: film directed by, written by Dev Patel, and we will
S1: have Dev Patel as a special guest on the podcast.
S1: So strap in for that one. Really excited Thomas. Mel.
S1: Thank you Mel, have a wonderful trip. Talk to you
S1: soon Thomas. See you next week Joe. Bye. This episode
S1: of The Drop was produced by Chai Wang. If you
S1: enjoyed listening to today's episode of The Drop, make sure
S1: to follow us on your favorite podcast app. Leave us
S1: a review or better yet, share it with a friend!
S1: I'm Usman Farooqui.
UU: See you next week!