A sleeper but very truthful and insightful was the FX series Reservation Dogs. Featuring young fresh native talent with recognizable veteran Indigenous actors. Kudos to Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi for enlightening us about the culture. I catch myself using the catch phrases "skoden" and "stoodis".
Musically, I'm constantly blown away by the four fantastic ladies of saje. Amazing singers and composers all putting a new slant on vocal jazz. Another shout out to singer/composer Michael Mayo.
This show would have been my pick. I watched it twice with family members who grew up on or have families "on the rez" (2 different ones). It could only have been written by writers who know. So many visual jokes that had us laughing out loud before or without words being spoken.
For similar reasons I would name Deadloch, murder mystery set in Tasmania, Australia. Absolutely outstanding acting and in its portrayal of the tensions between gentrification and indigenous cultural norms in a small rural town.
Loved Reservation Dogs. When season 3 ended my wife and I watched the whole series again from the beginning and appreciated it even more the second time through.
Same here and it was better the second time around. I immediately searched to see if the series had been packaged for DVD, but not yet. I worry about Hulu taking it down after a period of time as that seems to be the new streaming evil.
Exactly what I was thinking. Very hard to (but not impossible) to replicate. It's good Hollywood had Barbenheimer, because 2024 is looking to be pretty brutal.
New to me but probably well known to others here: podcast A History of Rock in 500 Songs by Andrew Hickey is an amazingly deep and fascinating dive. A must listen/read for anyone interested in the subject. Don't balk: give one episode a listen and you might get hooked.
The most recent volume of Joni Mitchell's Archives series, covering 1972 to 1975, was stupendous. Ever better than could have been imagined in any fan's wildest dreams. I would also cite the 'Barbenheimer' phenomenon as a major event of the year - the triumph of audiences feeling the necessity to flock to the movies to see them and make up their mind about them themselves.
Just finished The Fall of the House Usher. Absolutely top tier writing and storytelling. The visuals and atmosphere are amazing. The actors are all great and Mike Flanagan manages to hold back a little on the speeches he likes to write for his characters. I loved it and will watch it again soon. And it made me want to revisit Edgar Allen Poe too.
I second this. In general a think Netflix is a content mill, and usually I am right. But sometimes, very rarely, with no warning whatsoever, they produce something that doesn't just have value, but is actually fantastic. This was one of those times.
Absolutely meticulously well written, well directed and with great performances by the leading cast.
Henry Thomas in particular was a revelation to me. Compare his performance in this to Midnight Mass. It's hard to believe it's the same actor! Not just the physical changes to his appearance but his voice and the way in which he moves. but He's one of the best actors around right now, but totally flying under everybody's radar.
Can't produce the Gems without funding the good stuff with a boatload of garbage. I think folks don 't always realize that Something has to pay for the good stuff being made.
But I actually don't think it is about funding. Whether things are good or bad, subscribers pay their fees either way. I suspect it must be something else.
“Stillpoint,” featuring the pianist Awadagin Pratt, the chamber orchestra A Far Cry, and the vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth, is solidly in Album of the Year territory for me. The opening track--“Rounds,” by Jessie Montgomery--feels like an instant classic, but the whole album is astonishing. I also love the Tyshawn Sorey composition for Pratt and Teeth.
It is an incredible time for classical music. People don’t realize! The rediscovery of Florence Price. The voice of Sondra Radzimosky in Turandot. The recordings of John Wilson eg that amazing Oklahoma! Or Fatma Said. Or so many more. Michael Spyres.
Couldn't agree more about Florence Price! Some of the latest Florence Price releases (by Chineke! Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra) are on my list of 2023 cultural highlights as well.
Yes, perfection. The recent release (in September I think?) of Price's Symphony #4 (also with Yannick Nézet-Séguin) is equally transcendent. It was even just nominated for a Grammy.
The local venues and bands in my area (greater Boston). Several of the bands just keep putting on tremendous shows year in and year out without any prospect of making it big and, frankly, that's just as important to vibrant culture as anything on the national scene, if not more so. Special mention to Dub Apocalypse as well as all the various other bands and projects the members are a part of.
This year was no doubt one of the best years in video games. We had the release of:
-Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
-Baldur's Gate III
-Insomniac's Spider-Man 2
-Super Mario Wonder
-Alan Wake 2
-Resident Evil 4 Remake
-Street Fighter 6
-Mortal Kombat 1
-Hogwarts Legacy
-Pikmin 4
-Fire Emblem Engage
-Dead Space Remake
and many, many other games from across multiple genres, multiple systems, from the AAA-sphere to the indie circuit, and anywhere in-between. This might be one of the best years we've had when it came to video games.
"Now and Then" which I haven't listened to yet because I can't bear the heartache of it on multiple levels, even though I know it's gorgeous. even if it weren't, it speaks to the world-changing influence the Beatles had and still have. We are all living in the world they created and thus anything they do continues to be a major touchstone.
That was an AI voice of John Lennon. No one was a bigger Lennon fan than I, but most are saying it is not really a good song, only a modern mega creation superimposed on a simple melody. It is not the last Beatle song either.
it’s not a fake Lennon singing like Midjourney or something, just his voice from the demo cleaned up with the help of fancy algorithms. AI is just a buzzword
As a huge fan of the music of Charles Mingus, it’s been an absolute joy to see the Mingus Big Band perform this year. I’ve seen them about a dozen times, and every time it’s an absolute treat. The band is a repertory company of different musicians, who all treasure the music of Charles Mingus. I’ve had an opportunity to chat with some of the fabulous musicians and they really enjoy how much pleasure the audiences get from the music. The band performs every Monday night in New York, the tickets are inexpensive $35, it’s a small, intimate, jazz club and it’s a must see for anybody in New York that enjoys live music or jazz.
And, thank you, Ted, for all your smart and interesting writing this year. Always makes me think and reconsider my assumptions.
A sleeper but very truthful and insightful was the FX series Reservation Dogs. Featuring young fresh native talent with recognizable veteran Indigenous actors. Kudos to Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi for enlightening us about the culture. I catch myself using the catch phrases "skoden" and "stoodis".
Musically, I'm constantly blown away by the four fantastic ladies of saje. Amazing singers and composers all putting a new slant on vocal jazz. Another shout out to singer/composer Michael Mayo.
This show would have been my pick. I watched it twice with family members who grew up on or have families "on the rez" (2 different ones). It could only have been written by writers who know. So many visual jokes that had us laughing out loud before or without words being spoken.
For similar reasons I would name Deadloch, murder mystery set in Tasmania, Australia. Absolutely outstanding acting and in its portrayal of the tensions between gentrification and indigenous cultural norms in a small rural town.
Loved Reservation Dogs. When season 3 ended my wife and I watched the whole series again from the beginning and appreciated it even more the second time through.
Same here and it was better the second time around. I immediately searched to see if the series had been packaged for DVD, but not yet. I worry about Hulu taking it down after a period of time as that seems to be the new streaming evil.
YES!!
Best show I watched all year. And the show stuck the landing
‘Barbenheimer’ comes to the forefront in my mind!
Definitely. Followed by Taylor Swift/Kelce, and that Rebecca Yarros book, with Children of the Neon Bamboo toward the rear.
Swift / Kelce romance is really trending right now
Exactly what I was thinking. Very hard to (but not impossible) to replicate. It's good Hollywood had Barbenheimer, because 2024 is looking to be pretty brutal.
The (re) release of ‘Stop Making Sense’ was well worth the wait. The film has been masterfully redone.
Heck yeah. Saw this in theaters and it blew me away.
Right?!
Can’t wait to see it!
I would like to revisit this. Thanks for the upthumb.
New to me but probably well known to others here: podcast A History of Rock in 500 Songs by Andrew Hickey is an amazingly deep and fascinating dive. A must listen/read for anyone interested in the subject. Don't balk: give one episode a listen and you might get hooked.
I second this - an incredible podcast!
Absolutely! Listening to rock and roll won't be the same after attending Mr. Hickey's class.
Yes, I’m a fan, too.
YES!!!
Astonishing amount of information, stories, and anecdotes in this series.. I've only watched a half dozen and will work my way through the rest.
South Park Panderverse
Nile Rodgers and Chic hit the Tiny Desk a month ago. Maximum Funkocity!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRERgcQe-fQ
Tiny Desk in general - so many great performances. Himromi / Maro / Hermanos Gutiérrez / dodie
That was delightful. And that band was ridiculously hot.
I am glad you enjoyed it as much as I did, Scoob!
Yes! Great choice! Such a fantastic concert. We likewise raved about it here: https://epicureanvagabonds.substack.com/p/mid-week-libation-dia-de-los-muertos
Marvelous!
The most recent volume of Joni Mitchell's Archives series, covering 1972 to 1975, was stupendous. Ever better than could have been imagined in any fan's wildest dreams. I would also cite the 'Barbenheimer' phenomenon as a major event of the year - the triumph of audiences feeling the necessity to flock to the movies to see them and make up their mind about them themselves.
Movie: Fingernails
Book: 28 Questions by Indyana Schneider
Music: Javelin by Sufjan Stevens
TV: Silo
Silo is a great show!
Such a brilliant adaptation of the book. Incredible sound production, too.
Fingernails was such a delightful surprise
Wasn't it!!
My partner production designed Fingernails! Glad you liked it :)
I was blown away by everything about it. The aesthetic is sublime. If there are any long reads about the production I'd love to see it!
Just finished The Fall of the House Usher. Absolutely top tier writing and storytelling. The visuals and atmosphere are amazing. The actors are all great and Mike Flanagan manages to hold back a little on the speeches he likes to write for his characters. I loved it and will watch it again soon. And it made me want to revisit Edgar Allen Poe too.
I second this. In general a think Netflix is a content mill, and usually I am right. But sometimes, very rarely, with no warning whatsoever, they produce something that doesn't just have value, but is actually fantastic. This was one of those times.
Absolutely meticulously well written, well directed and with great performances by the leading cast.
Henry Thomas in particular was a revelation to me. Compare his performance in this to Midnight Mass. It's hard to believe it's the same actor! Not just the physical changes to his appearance but his voice and the way in which he moves. but He's one of the best actors around right now, but totally flying under everybody's radar.
Can't produce the Gems without funding the good stuff with a boatload of garbage. I think folks don 't always realize that Something has to pay for the good stuff being made.
Perhaps. I wrote a piece about this phenomenon some time back:
https://backtobasic.substack.com/p/netflix-is-a-joke
But I actually don't think it is about funding. Whether things are good or bad, subscribers pay their fees either way. I suspect it must be something else.
The Netflix documentary series "Life on Planet Earth" just debuted and honestly it's the best thing I've seen all year.
Absolutely an amazing program that makes one think.
“Stillpoint,” featuring the pianist Awadagin Pratt, the chamber orchestra A Far Cry, and the vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth, is solidly in Album of the Year territory for me. The opening track--“Rounds,” by Jessie Montgomery--feels like an instant classic, but the whole album is astonishing. I also love the Tyshawn Sorey composition for Pratt and Teeth.
100% agree. Such a mesmerizing album.
It is an incredible time for classical music. People don’t realize! The rediscovery of Florence Price. The voice of Sondra Radzimosky in Turandot. The recordings of John Wilson eg that amazing Oklahoma! Or Fatma Said. Or so many more. Michael Spyres.
Couldn't agree more about Florence Price! Some of the latest Florence Price releases (by Chineke! Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra) are on my list of 2023 cultural highlights as well.
The second movement of first symphony as played by Nezet-Seguin (sp?) is breath taking
Yes, perfection. The recent release (in September I think?) of Price's Symphony #4 (also with Yannick Nézet-Séguin) is equally transcendent. It was even just nominated for a Grammy.
John Wilson’s new edition/recording of Daphnis and Chloe has become an obsession for me.
The local venues and bands in my area (greater Boston). Several of the bands just keep putting on tremendous shows year in and year out without any prospect of making it big and, frankly, that's just as important to vibrant culture as anything on the national scene, if not more so. Special mention to Dub Apocalypse as well as all the various other bands and projects the members are a part of.
This year was no doubt one of the best years in video games. We had the release of:
-Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
-Baldur's Gate III
-Insomniac's Spider-Man 2
-Super Mario Wonder
-Alan Wake 2
-Resident Evil 4 Remake
-Street Fighter 6
-Mortal Kombat 1
-Hogwarts Legacy
-Pikmin 4
-Fire Emblem Engage
-Dead Space Remake
and many, many other games from across multiple genres, multiple systems, from the AAA-sphere to the indie circuit, and anywhere in-between. This might be one of the best years we've had when it came to video games.
"Now and Then" which I haven't listened to yet because I can't bear the heartache of it on multiple levels, even though I know it's gorgeous. even if it weren't, it speaks to the world-changing influence the Beatles had and still have. We are all living in the world they created and thus anything they do continues to be a major touchstone.
The music video is really interesting and emotional. Kind of surreal in a way
That was an AI voice of John Lennon. No one was a bigger Lennon fan than I, but most are saying it is not really a good song, only a modern mega creation superimposed on a simple melody. It is not the last Beatle song either.
AI has already got us thinking everything is fake, even when it’s not. I think that’s the biggest risk - when everything is possible, nothing is.
it’s not a fake Lennon singing like Midjourney or something, just his voice from the demo cleaned up with the help of fancy algorithms. AI is just a buzzword
No, not just “cleaned up.” Look at the official videos out about it.
Sadly - gotta agree with you. It was pretty mediocre.
As a huge fan of the music of Charles Mingus, it’s been an absolute joy to see the Mingus Big Band perform this year. I’ve seen them about a dozen times, and every time it’s an absolute treat. The band is a repertory company of different musicians, who all treasure the music of Charles Mingus. I’ve had an opportunity to chat with some of the fabulous musicians and they really enjoy how much pleasure the audiences get from the music. The band performs every Monday night in New York, the tickets are inexpensive $35, it’s a small, intimate, jazz club and it’s a must see for anybody in New York that enjoys live music or jazz.
And, thank you, Ted, for all your smart and interesting writing this year. Always makes me think and reconsider my assumptions.