Hello there.
Some exciting news and then we will get right into this weeks releases.
First, Will Kaplan is joining foofaraw as our music and arts critic. You can expect to see a review/column from him on a monthly basis, starting this Friday. He'll introduce himself then so keep your eyes peeled.
And then I'm currently working with designer extraordinaire, Andy Carolan on doing a little facelift for the newsletter. It might take a bit of time, but we will have some new section banners in the near future.
I'll do a little bit more newslettering about newslettering at the end for those interested.
streaming variability
what's on tv this week
New Shows
A Murder at the End of the World S1 (Hulu) — 14 Nov
I mentioned in nonsense. that this show has the potential to be really good or complete trash. Since I wrote that I've started to feel pretty pessimistic, but it's actually getting reviewed pretty well so far, so maybe don't pay me any attention.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters S1 (Apple) — 16 Nov
Yes! I have no idea if this will actually be good, but I don't really care. Godzilla on TV with the father and son duo of Kurt and Wyatt Russell. It looks big and bombastic, I feel like something of this scale rarely ever gets done on TV.
The Crown S6 (Netflix) — 16 Nov
This show isn't for me, but I know there are quite a few fans of The Crown out there...
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off S1 (Netflix) — 17 Nov
Not really sure how I feel about the retread here, but given it's a full season, I imagine it'll go over much more of the original comic than the movie did. Incredible that they have essentially the same cast too.
The Schedule
Days based on streaming availability for the majority of people
Tuesday
A Murder at the End of the World (Hulu) 1:1-2
Wednesday
Welcome to Wrexham (FX) 2:15
Thursday
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (Apple) 1:1-2
The Crown (Netflix) S6
Friday
Lessons in Chemistry (Apple) 1:7
Shining Vale (Starz) 2:6
Invincible (Amazon) 2:3
For All Mankind (Apple) 4:2
Rap Sh!t (HBO) 2:3
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (Netflix) S1
Sunday
Last Week Tonight (HBO) 10:18
Rick and Morty (Adult Swim) 7:6
Fellow Travelers (Showtime) 1:4
The Gilded Age (HBO) 2:4
The Curse (Showtime) 1:2
sonic vibrations
this past Friday's best album releases
Release of the Week
💽 Be Good the Crazy Boys — Art Feynman
I thought this was just a really fun, quirky alternative record. There's a little bit of folksiness going on, but with an upbeat nature almost leaning on pop and even reminds me of Animal Collective at times.
Other Releases
Runner-Ups
Heater — PHONY
A solid alt pop-punk record that's fun, but won't knock your socks off.
Craterellus Tubaeformis — Skinshape
Folksy + beachy w/ a tinge of psychadelia and jazz
Cat Power Sings Dylan (Live) — Cat Power
hmmm
SOURCEHEIRESS — jess joy
Honestly, I almost made this the release of the week. It's a fun, poppy, and super weird record that's beyond my musical vocabulary (which doesn't go very far anyways). Killer album name too.
Origin of You — Mindy Meng Wang & Sui Zhen
ambient
Jazzalicious
Special Feelings — Special Feelings
As a drummer, I love how up-front the drums are in the mix here. A lot of energetic, tight, and sharp drumming that makes this a lot of fun even if I'd have personally tried to bring a looser groove myself.
I've Been Sleeping Too Long — Sunny Reyne
Music Is Victory Over Time — Sunwatchers
PoPs1cl3 b0p5
Read the Room — BEL
Upbeat pop record that finds a way to be both poppy and melancholy at the same time.
SPILT MILK — KiNG MALA
Bits and Bobs
Wall of Eyes (Single) — The Smile
Hitchhiker (EP) — Cuco
Son of a Gun / Starting Over (Single) — Judah & The Lion
Honey, You're a Dead Man (Single) — Demob Happy
sequential variants
this weeks best comic releases, in order of interest
I know I've been keeping this list to ten comics a week, but it's truly impossible to do so this week. So do yourself a favor and check out a few.
No. 1s
The Deviant (Image) #1
New James Tynion IV horror maxi-series with artist Josh Hixson. This is as close to a sure thing as you are going to get in comics.
Animal Pound (Boom) Ashcan
Not sure if the ashcan will be available digitally, but this sounds like it'll be a new series to keep a close eye on in the near future from Tom King and Peter Gross.
Royal City: The Last Days of Richie Pike (Image) #1
Alien (Marvel) #1
Dutch (Image) #0
Geiger: Ground Zero (Image) #1
Outsiders (DC) #1
Releases
The Cull (Image) #4
Penultimate issue of this great and gorgeous series from Kelly Thompson and Mattia De Iulis.
Time Before Time (Image) #29
Finale to the Declan Shalvey/Rory McConville penned series.
The Man From Maybe (Oni) #2
Detective Comics (DC) #1077
Rumpus Room (AWA) #3
The Vigil (DC) #6
Coda (Boom) #3
Batman & Robin (DC) #3
Danger Street (DC) #11
The Immortal Thor (Marvel) #4
Fantastic Four (Marvel) #13
Hexagon Bridge (Image) #3
WildC.A.T.s (DC) #12
Children of the Vault (Marvel) #4
Daredevil (Marvel) #2
Dark X-Men (Marvel) #4
silver-screen voyage
movies hitting the big screen this week
Fallen Leaves
A Finnish-German comedy-drama film written and directed by Aki Kaurismäki. According to Wikipedia it follow Kaurismäki's previous Proletariat trilogy. While I have no experience with that it did win the Jury Prize at Cannes.
Saltburn
A wrote a quick line about this on TIV, but reviews seem to be a bit middling...
Next Goal Wins
New original Taika Waititi film and first since Jojo Rabbit. He's three for three in my books, but this also seems to be getting middling reviews.
May December
New Todd Haynes film starring Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman and a "Metacritic Must See". In theaters this week and on Netflix December 1st.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
Not sure why I'm including this other than it's probably one of the last bigger budget films to drop in theaters this year. I'm sure there are some hunger heads out there looking forward to it.
Outro
I don't know about you, but this felt like a pretty fun issue.
I've got a few things on my mind to wrap up the issue...
First off, with the addition of Will and an upcoming face lift from Andy, I feel like we are pretty close to ending this so-called βeta season and moving on with season two.
I've also decided to keep everything free (for the foreseeable future). I have fun making it and don't mind footing the bill when I occasionally bring on other, smarter people to write some fun stuff that I get to enjoy. It's just fun to build things with other people and I'm hoping I can find a way to do more of that here. With that being said, there's always KoFi if you'd like to support us and help offset some of the costs.
The last thing on my mind, is how I can bring in some more value to these Monday issues. I'd like to sprinkle in more thoughts and news-ish tidbits here and there that are related to our on-going topics. I need to get a bit more organized and better at capturing things during the week, but we will see how that goes.
Talk soon.
Stay sane,
—humdrum