HIGHLY RECOMMENDED W/ RAINWATER
* Providing the A's to the 5 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Q's today is Rainwater — a group of music-makers out of Seattle whose lovely new album ‘Saturn Return’ is out now, get it on CD/Cassette via Furious Hooves (and you can catch the track ‘Chameleon’ on the HI54 Mix CD ‘420 ≠ ALL DAY’)
#1 - WHAT IS THE ONE ALBUM (OR EP OR SONG) THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE THE VERY NEXT MUSICAL THING THAT EVERYONE PRESSES PLAY ON THE NEXT TIME THEY FIND THEMSELVES THINKING “WHAT SHOULD I LISTEN TO NOW”?
A new record that I keep coming back to is Lomelda's new album 'M for Empathy'. It's a truly gorgeous collection of stripped down and short songs seemingly about loneliness, mental illness, friendship, and just small life details.
Right when it came out I was going through a hard time myself and listening deeply to these songs was really cathartic for me. Since then, I keep coming back and listening when I need a quiet moment of reflection. It's understated and brief, but it's a truly impactful piece of art that I think is worth everyone's attention.
#2 - WHAT IS THE ONE MOVIE OR TV SHOW THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE NEXT IN EVERYBODY’S NETFLIX QUEUE (OK, DOESN’T HAVE TO BE NETFLIX, WE’RE ALL INTERNET ADULTS HERE AND KNOW HOW TO FIND ANYTHING ONLINE, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER)?
I've been enjoying 'I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson', but I'm not sure I'd recommend it to everyone. It's strange, awkward, and hilarious. If you like Eric Andre and Tim and Eric, you'll likely love this. If you don't like feeling uncomfortable, you'll likely hate it.
For less weird shows, I've also been enjoying the new season of Big Little Lies and the show Killing Eve.
#3. I (AND BY “I” I MEAN “THE PERSON THAT IS READING THIS”) AM GOING TO THE BOOK STORE (OK, PROBABLY AMAZON) TO FIND THE VERY NEXT BOOK THAT I WILL BE PUTTING SOME EXTREMELY VALUABLE ‘ME-TIME' ASIDE FOR. WHICH BOOK WOULD YOU GET, IF YOU WERE ME (AND, I SUPPOSE, YOU HADN’T ALREADY READ WHAT YOU’RE ABOUT TO SUGGEST)?
I'm currently reading a book called 'Sing Unburied Sing' by Jesmyn Ward and I'm really enjoying it. It's a Southern Gothic story about a black family in Mississippi and their generational trauma. It beautifully tells the story of Jojo, a young child whose grandparents take care of him because his father is in jail and his mother is a drug addict. It weaves in and out of the present with tales of the grandfathers stay in a work prison as a child to the ghosts of the past haunting the present.
I also read 'Kafka on the Shore' by Haruki Murakami recently and it's one of my favorites now.
#4 - WHAT IS THE ONE WEBSITE (OR JUST ANY OLD INTERNET THING: APP, GIF, SERVICE, WHATEVER) THAT YOU WOULD GET REALLY DOWN IN THE DUMPS ABOUT IF IT WERE TO SUDDENLY GO AWAY?
Honestly, I'd say getting off the internet really helps me when I'm in the dumps.
That being said, a few friends and I have been playing this game called 'Drawful', usually towards the end of the night after some wine. Basically, everyone connects to the game with their phones and gets a short caption to draw a little sketch of. After that, everyone will get one persons sketch and have to come up with a caption for the sketch.
Finally, everyone votes on which caption they think was the actual caption. It's silly and fun!
#5 - AND FINALLY… PLEASE GIVE ONE COMPLETELY UNAIDED RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU THINK EVERYONE SHOULD START DOING / USING / WATCHING / EATING / THINKING / QUITING / ETC-ING TO MAKE THEIR LIVES A LITTLE BIT MORE BETTER AND/OR BEARABLE.
I recommend that everyone go for a run or even just a quick walk outside as much as they can. Nothing clears my brain and makes my body feel healthier than moving around in nature.
Living in Seattle, I'm fortunate enough to have loads of nature around me, but I know that's not as easy for everyone. Even a quick walk around the block can do the brain wonders!
