Music
A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers
Introduction This is for Annie Kapur's "Sing Us the Song of the Century" Challenge, which you can find here: I have always loved the music of Van Der Graaf Generator and knew the actual device from which they took their name from school physics lessons.
By Mike Singleton š Mikeydred 9 months ago in Critique
Desolation Row. Top Story - June 2025.
Introduction This is for Annie Kapur's "Sing Us the Song of the Century" Challenge, which you can find here: I don't normally make more than one entry to a Challenge, but I will have two in this one. Even Bob Dylan has so many "story songs" that take you somewhere else, and Jimi Hendrix's cover of "All Along The Watchtower" would be my choice if I were limited to a 7" single and we have Hedrix's guitar and full on vocals (apparently, he was embarrassed about his own lyrics but he lets loose on Dylan's words) but that is not for this story.
By Mike Singleton š Mikeydred 9 months ago in Critique
Immigration Policy
Australians are now living an average of a decade longer than we were just ten years ago, with women benefiting the most from this increase in life expectancy, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics' report, Life Expectancy. While this is a remarkable achievement and something we often celebrate, it comes with a sobering reality: our standard of living has significantly declined. Although we may be living longer, many are living lives far poorer than they had envisioned - something the media rarely addresses openly.
By Narghiza Ergashova9 months ago in Critique
Review of Shangri-La Frontier
While this show has been rather enjoyable, there are some things that I would have done differently as the writer. The dialogue alone can be irritating, especially when they use terms from back in the 2010s like ābrosephā, but it can also be hilarious, at times. I donāt remember the last time I laughed so much while watching an anime. There have been so many new, fantastic anime coming out that I have watched or want to watch and I think now is the time to start showcasing my writing skills with my thoughts on all of the anime Iāve seen since, like, 2015; which is quite a few, but not nearly enough compared to other reviewers like Anime America, the YouTube channel.
By Juliet Adams10 months ago in Critique
Signed and Resigned
I just need enough to be solvent, but that may be hard without rescinding this letter and sacrificing my sanity To those reading my resignation while casually pushing policies that are supposed to impact our work culture, but they never do, I hope you find this letter. I seriously hope that after finding this letter you read it too.
By Narghiza Ergashova10 months ago in Critique
A Fun Filled Ska-Punk Night
If there are two genres of music that I enjoy probably way more than I should, they have got to be ska and punk. Mash the two together for ska-punk and I am in my happy place. On Friday May 9 I went to my happy place by seeing Canadian ska-punk legends the Planet Smashers at The Opera House in Toronto. Joined by American ska-punk bands Big D and the Kids Table and Mustard Plug, as well as the UK's Faintest Idea, the whole night was an absolute blast.
By Nerhys Hall10 months ago in Critique
Sinners, Venus, and Cowboy Carter: Legacy, Resilience, and the Fight Ahead
I saw Sinners last Wednesday. Then I saw the documentary āIām Your Venusā on Thursday, and went to the Cowboy Carter concert at SoFi on Friday. All the while (well, on Friday and Saturday), young filmmakers transformed my apartment for a short film.
By Camille Ora-Nicole10 months ago in Critique
Cardinals choosing the next pope have been offered a dossier on candidates ā with a subtext. Content Warning. AI-Generated.
Cardinals Choosing the Next Pope Have Been Offered a Dossier on Candidates ā With a Subtext May 7, 2025 As speculation mounts about who will succeed Pope Francis, an intriguing development has emerged behind the scenes: cardinals preparing for a future conclave are quietly being offered dossiers detailing the strengths, weaknesses, and past actions of potential papal candidates. But these documents arenāt just dry summaries ā they come with a subtle subtext that could shape the future direction of the Catholic Church.
By Rasel Ahmed10 months ago in Critique
Show Your Love for Ghost with This Unique Levitation Tee
The package arrived on a Tuesday, a nondescript brown envelope bearing only my name and address. Inside, nestled amongst tissue paper, lay the Ghost Band Levitation T-shirt. My initial reaction wasā¦ underwhelming. It looked like a perfectly ordinary, slightly oversized black cotton tee. No shimmering fabrics, no hidden mechanisms, nothing to suggest the fantastical claims made on the website. The website, incidentally, had been a whirlwind of blurry videos and testimonials promising an "out-of-body experience" and the "illusion of levitation." Naturally, I was skeptical.
By Will Crotts11 months ago in Critique
Under the Surface ā A Breath-Held Journey in Subtle Jazz Expression
Recorded in June 2024 at the iconic Rainbow Studio in Oslo, Under the Surface marks a new chapter for the Julia HĆ¼lsmann Quartet with the addition of Norwegian trumpeter and goat horn player Hildegunn Ćiseth. This latest ECM outing stays true to the labelās aesthetic: airy textures, sonic detail, and space for quiet reflection. But while the album delivers moments of genuine beauty, it often plays too safely within its own formula.
By Miles Hargrove11 months ago in Critique
Unpacking White Lotus Season 3: Gorgeous Scenes and Frustratingly Familiar Tropes
For the last eight weeks, my morning routine has been to get up, make coffee, and mentally get ready for the upcoming episode of HBO's The White Lotus. It has evolved into a weekly immersion in opulence, dysfunction, and mortality rather than merely a viewing experience. I was optimistic, high, caftan-clad, sun-kissed aspirations about the upcoming show.
By Hridya Sharma11 months ago in Critique
