Larissa Maestro is absurdly talented. They are a multi-instrumentalist that has played with a very long list of musicians you have definitely heard of. They're a composer, arranger, Star Trek enthusiast. Oh, and they perform in a 90's tribute band called My So-Called Band. That's nowhere near the full list of achievements but it's enough context to tell you that Maestro has a deep well of talent.
"Rotation" is their latest release - a piece written for a quartet that was inspired by the tornados that ravaged parts of Nashville. This visualizer is an excellent pairing to the music but, truly, all you need to do is listen. It's 7 and a half minutes and quite sublime. You can pick up the track over on Bandcamp.
I am a Blank Check podcast listener. Thus, I am also aware of Conner Ratliff; as he is a regular guest on the show. I am only vaguely familiar with The George Lucas Talk Show - the long running talk show in which Ratliff plays Lucas. I know it exists but I've never heard a moment of it.
Regardless, when I encountered the trailer for I’m “George Lucas”: A Connor Ratliff Story, I was intrigued. His appearances on Blank Check are always amusing and his friendship with the hosts feels like a legitimate endorsement to me. That said, a behind-the-scenes movie about a comedian I don't know a ton about performing a talk show I've never watched seems like it might not be that engaging. But there's a quote from Ratliff about 1:40 into this 2 minute trailer that really hit me (emphasis mine):
"Why am I doing this? Why do I care if a bunch of strangers like a thing I do? If I do a show and 10 people see it and they love it, is that as good as doing a show that a million people see?"
As someone that has a long running but small record label, a newish podcast, an ancient blog and many other projects - this hits home for me. Also, as someone that works in tech where everyone is obsessed with scale = success, this hits home doubley.
I may not know Ratliff or his story but there's something familiar about that creative journey that speaks to me. Maybe it will to you as well. The film is streaming and available direct.
YouTube has decided that I need to hear an album of Mega Man jazz and YouTube is correct, I did need to hear it. From the stage select screen all the way through the end credits, Mr Flayk has redone every song with " a smoother, laid-back twist." Truth be told, aside from "Guts Man" there isn't much "laid back" about this! It's a high energy, jazzy outburst most of the time and that's not a complaint!
If my count is to be trusted, Twinkling City is the sixth holiday release from Lawndry. You'd be forgiven for thinking that if a band has released six holiday EPs that they are exclusively a holiday band but Lawndry is just prolific!
The band constantly fuses organic and electronic approaches to songwriting. That notion persists through their non-holiday and holiday music alike. Twinkling City has a full-on blast of dance music with "Santa's at Berghain," a melancholy piano bop about forgetting to buy presents with "Empty-Handed Man," and an unfurling, literally twinkling, piece about being a little shit coming home from college in "Humbug Comes Home." And that's not all the songs - just a little taste.
They are songs that are created in earnest but not afraid to be a little amusing and delightful. One might say they are downright merry. Highly recommend the deep dive.
These songs are streaming on Apple, Spotify, etc but I'm only linking you to Bandcamp because this is a band you should support. Merry Christmas, every one.
I searched Giphy for Weird Santa and ended up with this Weird Satan. I'll take it! Turns out this is from a 1959 film called Santa Claus vs. the Devil that was also on MST3K. It all makes sense.
Mr. Microphone, 1978 - at your next Christmas party, just set the dial on your FM radio and go nuts with Mr. Microphone. Please watch the whole thing, the examples are truly ridiculous. Also, if you're a musician, bring this back.
N-E-S-T-L-E-S - do you remember this extremely dramatic NESTLE commercial? I did not but now I can't get that song outta my head. 1986 advertising bop.
Faith No More - Sweet Dreams - apparently Mike Patton felt the same in 1991; opening this show in Rio with the same jingle.
Meels - Willow Song - it's a Hee-Haw tribute and features a racoon puppet playing the harmonica. It's also not jokey at all. Yea, I'm putting it in Friday Videos.
when the DJ is feeling that Sonic R sunshine - a particularly strange one. Sonic running through a landscape set to House music. But if you stick with it, the game extrudes, warps and projects itself in a way that I've literally never seen before. The explanation is nice but the TLDR is, the effects are very clever!
I'm having a sale for a bunch of quality YK Records releases. It started as a Cyber Monday deal but I'm extending it through the end of the year. I'm taking $5 off select vinyl and $2 off CDs and cassettes. Not a steep discount but I truly price these things as close to the margin as I can - so this is significant!
Note that the discount is applied at checkout. I'm too much of a Shopify novice to figure out how to get the discounted prices to display where people expect the discounted prices to display :facepalm:.
You can snag the latest from Chris Crofton, Jessica Breanne, Alex Caress, Dave Paulson, The Privates, Annie Wiliams and Matt & The Watt Gives. AND you can get some more archival releases from Forget Cassettes and Trash Man. I'm biased but it's a lot of good stuff.
When you're online every day, you see a lot of things. I do my best to consume small amounts, not drink from the firehose. But this GIF of Roger Sterling puking with and without hidden crew members is one of those things I'm utterly delighted exists.
If you missed it, HBO released 4K restorations of Mad Men. Except they didn't really watch it for quality control and let some scenes slip through with visible crew members. Honestly, I thought this image was AI when I saw it. Surely HBO and Mad Men and AMC and Matthew Weiner's people wouldn't be so sloppy? And the comments on that Bluesky post are very.. very funny. It's fake, right?
This Todd Vaziri breakdown on the 4K Mad Men Debacle shows it is decidedly not fake. They just messed up. It's not the only example of where they messed up, nor is it the only show that's ever done such a thing. But it's the latest and that comparison GIF is an absolute treasure upon the world.
I tend to agree with the general sentiment of this Noah Smith piece - I love AI. Why doesn't everyone? It's a great article about the ills of technology, the general trepidation towards anything new and the specific trepidation towards AI. It's a hopeful piece about the potential of what AI can do. A mindful piece debunking many false claims. And a bit of an eyeroll towards those that decry it entirely.
That said, I do not agree with the article entirely. I agree AI has so much potential and I'm excited by the prospects. I even count myself among the rare minority that Smith does. However, I think the complaints about how artists and creators were ripped off training AI models is entirely valid; tho I am not sure what action could be taken now to reconcile it. I also believe that all of the negativity around AI can lead to positive change. No lawmaker is going to get involved if no one is complaining. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. In other words, people should feel emboldened to point out the pitfalls of AI because it should only lead to improvements (theoretically).
At the end of the day, it's not really a black or white issue. Being entirely anti-AI and being entirely pro-AI are not sensible stances to take. It's a big grey zone and you can perhaps lean slightly to one side. Regardless, it's a good read.
John Paul Bullock has been compiling a monthly playlist throughout 2025 of "50 Great Songs Released or Reissued" for the given month. The November playlist is here on YouTube (and Apple and Spotify). It's always a refreshing mixture of styles and genres. Make sure you're following him on IG subscribed to Major Label Debut - the podcast for which he is a producer. Goodness abound.
In 2024, I interviewed for a job way out of my league at Napster. I was intrigued by the idea of working for a well known brand with a history of being an upstart; particularly in the music streaming space where there is a lot of potential to do good, which seems to be the opposite of the norm. Unsurprisingly, I did not get the job.
I think I may have dodged a bullet tho because Napster has been in turbulent waters in 2025! This Forbes piece breaks down the story of a $3.6 Billion investment that has vanished. Napster alleges to be the victim of investor fraud, can not pay its existing shareholders and has let go a good number of employees. They're also being sued by the likes of Sony and other rights holder for lack of royalty payments. It's not looking great!
But Napster has a history of perseverance. Will their Napster AI product eventually launch and gain traction? Impossible to say! Who knows what the future holds!
I don't know anything about Kyle Kingsbury, aka Aphyr but this piece, I Want You To Understand Chicago is rather affecting. I don't think there's anyone that reads this site and doesn't find the actions of ICE abhorrent. Regardless of what you feel about immigration (illegal or not), having masked, unidentifiable, non-compliant, federal agents raiding buildings, neighborhoods and citizens can't sit right. In a word, it's terrifying.
This essay captures that fear and terror. I share it because the gravity of the situation needs to be fully understood. Turning a blind eye is not an option. Even if you're powerless to do anything about it (as I am). Even if you live in a State where you have horrible politicians that would support actions like this (as I do). Even if you have family that may shrug this off as leftist reactionism (as I have). Even with all that, it should be read and understood.
I know this sort of thing can be depressing and you aren't coming here to find heavy subjects but I don't think ignorance is an option here.
Photo from Rolling Stone, Federal agents violently confront protesters gathered outside of the suburban Chicago ICE Detention Center in Broadview, Ill., on Sept. 19.. Added by me, not Aphyr.
Really fantastic piece here by Derek Thompson entitled The Monks in the Casino. It serves as a rumination on "the loneliness crisis" (quotes his) and other modern ailments. I can't articulate it any better than the article itself but it speaks to recent changes in culture and policy that have resulted in a world where distractions are so plentiful we don't even register that we need to be with other people.
I'm going to share my favorite snippet from the summation of the article but you really should read the entire thing. It's filled with thoughtful moments. I'm saving this in particular as I find myself wanting to be offline more and more, so it felt quite pertinent.
Since the 1970s, America has over-regulated the physical world and under-regulated the digital space. To open a daycare, build an apartment, or start a factory requires lawyers, permits, and years of compliance. To open a casino app or launch a speculative token requires a credit card and a few clicks. We made it hard to build physical-world communities and easy to build online casinos. The state that once poured concrete for public parks now licenses gambling platforms. The country that regulates a lemonade stand will let an 18-year-old day-trade options on his phone.
In short: The first half of the twentieth century was about mastering the physical world, the first half of the twenty-first has been about escaping it.
In 1996, high school senior Michael Lucid filmed a mini-documentary about some 8th graders who were infamous for their bad behavior and grunge-y attire - dubbed the "Dirty Girls." It's 20-minutes long and fascinating from start to finish.
Obviously I don't know what it's like to go to high school in the modern era but I can say that when I was in school in the mid-90s, this was exactly the experience. There were Riott Grrls that were largely ostracized by their peers and, in at least once case, by staff. I am sure there's still a hierarchy to the social system but my hope is that things have improved.
The element of the film that delighted me beyond belief is that the "Dirty Girls" themselves were incredibly smart, confident, artistic and genuinely funny. Maybe it was for the cameras but they also seemed largely unbothered by the judgement - just shrugging it off as an opinion from a group of idiots. It's admirable to say the least.
Be sure to indulge in the whole playlist - that includes follow-ups, outtakes and a reunion.
A simple challenge: build the worst UX for a datepicker you can muster. The one primary rule is that the end product must be able to actually pick a date. The winner is certainly worthy of the crown - just the right balance of awful and usable - but there are many many runner up entries that should be enjoyed.
I occasionally stumble across some affecting imagery and really don't know where to put it! Case in point, this image of Sam Davis Hotel being demolished in Nashville, 1985. The building, along with many others, was destroyed to make way for the Nashville Convention Center - a huge, potential, boost to the tourism economy but at the cost of displacing the permanent residents of the building, among many others.
The hotel was cleared of the remainder of its 150 permanent residents just before Thanksgiving 1984. Many of the residents were elderly and otherwise homeless. They paid $31.50 a week at one of the last residential hotels in Nashville.
Oof. It's been 40 years since the Hotel was demolished but that imagery, mixed with that history, is still a potent one.
I mentioned this last year but Tis The Season, so here we go again. If you're a Blank Check with Griffin & David listener, you know producer Ben Hosley. You are also likely familiar with his various art projects - such as Slow Xmas, a series that started out as slowed down, sludgy, Christmas songs. With Slow XMas 5 (the sixth release), things have certainly evolved.
First and foremost, this year's compilation is available on vinyl. So if you like your Christmas slow and analog, they got you covered. The lead track is available digitally, with the full digital album (presumably) dropping in early December. This has all been covered by Stereogum, so you know it's legit!
I'll withhold my opinion until hearing the full release but it's a fairly safe bet that this will be another quality entry in the Slow Xmas series. I am absolutely loving this first offering - from the pacing to the saxophone, it's got my number.
jms directed me towards Town Portal the other day, saying they sound like "instrumental Shiner." Say no more, I'm in.
Of course, that two word description is just the enticement to get you in the door. Town Portal's Grindwork is its own thing, not simply a knock off of Shiner. They share a sonic palette with ominous tones, some angular guitars and lots of spacey influences. All good things. There's also a nice mixture of swelling strings and the occasionally brutal guitar explosion.
I'm not familiar with their prior work but, as an introduction, Grindwork is an instantly enjoyable and somewhat dark journey.
You may have caught Chloe Troast in the 49th season of Saturday Night Live but her time on the show was short lived. While that is unfortunate, she still got to be on SNL for a season, so no tears. It's also great that it creates some awareness for new endeavors - such as Spilling Your Seed with Chloe Troast, a somewhat serious, somewhat parody show that looks at the lineage of her guests. In other words, it's Finding Your Roots but absurd.
