✉️ I Think I've Seen This Film Before

So I'm leaving out the side door...

Jul 28, 2020

Here I am listening to a Taylor Swift album. By choice. 2020 is weird, to say the least.

That’s not entirely fair. I certainly don’t dislike Taylor Swift’s music, it’s just not the kind of music I would seek out to listen to when I have access to every song ever recorded in my pocket at all times. That would be more akin to music by say, The National or Bon Iver. And so here we are. Worlds collide.

To me, the most interesting aspect of the collaboration is the idea of the collaboration itself. These are seemingly two far flung reaches of the musical universe. On paper, you might not think it would work, and that seems to be precisely why it does. The result sounds both like a Taylor Swift album and a Bon Iver or The National album. If they were closer in style, I fear the end result would be less than the sum of the parts. But here, it feels like more.

I have to imagine such an askew collaboration feels entirely reinvigorating for an artist as well. Sure, there are some that will go horribly awry, but that looming threat probably helps as well. As a listener, it almost feels like a “yeah, this is weird and potentially a disaster; fuck it, let’s just go for it.”

I think it’s a good reminder for us all in a way. It’s hard to break convention simply by trying to do so. But collaboration outside of the box and/or using something far afield as inspiration is probably a good thing. And yes, the COVID quarantine is probably forcing such things upon us. Restraint equalling creativity and all that.

5ish

📺 Don’t Cross the Streams

What is Playing Where in the Era of Streaming

🎞 'Tenet' Stuck in Limbo

What is Christopher Nolan to do? Ideally, the right thing.

Asides

Speaking of ‘Folklore’, it seems like it’s setting all kinds of streaming records 💿
This Spotify/Universal deal seems like a bigger well, deal, than it may seem at first glance — Spotify offering more label-like services 🎧
Newsflash: Apple commissioned a study that they feel exonerates them when it comes to App Store fees, but really it just showcases that they set trends 📲
To follow up on a bit from the last newsletter, SoftBank apparently did approach Apple about ARM, and they weren’t interested. But Nvidia might be… 👩‍💻
Unlike Tenet, Bill & Ted are doing the right thing and allowing us to Face the Music from the comfort of our own homes in lockdown — 9/1 🎸
Speaking of trailers, Ethan Hawke starring as Nikola Tesla looks… odd. Maybe in a good way! Unclear. Regardless, great sound/music. 💡

If you’re looking for a podcast episode, I very much enjoyed the ‘How I Built This’ with the founders of La Colombe coffee — who met at a Green River concert, of all places. ☕️
A great thread about Apple products with handles. As silly as it sounds, I sort of wish they’d comeback on the MacBooks in some capacity. Though I want the glowing Apple back far more. 💻
It’s honestly disturbing how much sense this post by Andy Slavitt about COVID-19 makes. We’re constantly so close to getting through this, yet we won’t do what needs to be done. 😷