“Birthday” – Late Bloomer
Their album came out last week and it is filled with agreeable rock like this.
“Brown Paper Bag” – DIIV
Their first new music in five years, their new album is focused on the state of the world and, from the band’s point of view, its impending meltdown. This lead single is appropriately sludgy and gloomy.
“Beautiful Girl” – Kaiser Chiefs
Another band that has been away for five years. KC was one of the first bands I played on my old music podcast, so I’ve been down with them since late 2004.
“Deeper Well” – Kacey Musgraves
Speaking of beautiful girls…despite her physical appeal and unorthodox song writing, I’ve always resisted Kacey Musgraves as her music was always, ultimately, straight country. Here she’s softened it up a bit, planting at least a couple toes in the pop world. This could easily be a Waxahatchee song. I like her honesty in assessing the people and things that she now believes were holding her back. “So I’m getting rid of the habits that I feel are real good at Wasting my time.”
“Wild Boys” – Gold Star
Well, if I’m playing Kacey Musgraves I might as well through another Country or Not track at you. Weirdly I’ve collected several of these over the past ten days or so. Not sure what’s going on. As tends to happen, here the “country” is mostly the presence of a pedal steel guitar.
“Funeral For Justice” – Mdou Moctar
The Nigerian legend returns.
“Hold Me Now” – The Thompson Twins
On its way to #3, The Thompson Twins’ biggest American hit was at #24 in its fifth week on the chart the week of March 10, 1984. Is this a polarizing song? It feels like some people love it while others can’t stand it and label it as sappy. I’ve always thought it was glorious, especially the final chorus.
I might be reading too fast. This is the 10th week of the year and I’m about to finish my 14th book of 2024. Because of that they are running together a bit. I apologize, as these summaries aren’t the most detailed of my writing career.
The World We Make – N.K. Jemisin
Jemisin’s Great Cities series was supposed to be a trilogy. Between the pandemic, US politics, and some other things that got her down, she decided to cut it off at two books.
Because of that, this book felt rushed and incomplete. Her story about the avatars of the boroughs of New York battling with and against each other as forces from another dimension attempt to destroy the city just never found a good rhythm. What should have been an epic finale came and went with a whimper.
I understand why she decided to cut things off. If your heart ain’t in it, your heart ain’t in it. But I think she let what could have become a great story wither and turn into something not worthy of her talent.
Moscow X – David McCloskey
McCloskey’s Damascus Station was one of my favorite espionage books of this decade. This was nearly as good.
Instead of focusing on the Middle East, here McCloskey pivots to the growing, new cold war between the US and Russia. When a rift develops between the ruling Russian elite, a secret CIA group – Moscow X – pounces to exploit it.
Rather than standard spy stuff, though, this book reflects the reality of the new Russia: the conflict is all about using capitalism to gain leverage over an opponent. The Russians are fighting with each other over money they’ve stolen, in one way or another, from their country. The CIA is using money to gain entry into the world of the Russian elite to find ways to bend them to the West’s advantage. That seems a long way from the original Cold War, when capitalism was battling communism as much as the countries were competing.
On a February night in 2019, a vagrant runs in front of an RV in remote Southern California and is killed. At the same moment, there are mysterious fires at two nearby military bases. And, soon, a semi-famous TV chef is reported missing from the same area.
I don’t want to give away too much about the plot, but it is a delightful mix of mystery and sci-fi. I really enjoyed how Goldberg laid out the elements of the story. Time travel plays a big part in the book and I loved some of the observations about living in the past one of the characters made. Not many stories about going back in time mention how much the past stank!
I said in my last car post that despite deciding to get a Tesla Model Y, I would continue to research EVs until I actually pulled the trigger to make certain of my final decision. It doesn’t take much to send me down research rabbit holes, and I spent a decent chunk of the weekend re-evaluating my choice and diving back into review videos and posts.
It started Friday when my brother-in-law in Boston, Uncle Maaaahk, mentioned that if I had time for more test drives, he has a friend who owns a Volkswagen ID.4 and loves it. The ID.4 had, in fact, been on my initial list of EVs. But I was underwhelmed with its specs and while reviews were generally positive, they also pointed out serious software flaws in the vehicle.
I checked prices Friday and was floored to see the ID.4s at our local dealer were all marked down anywhere from $10–12,000. They support Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM, and have HomeLink modules, all things missing from Tesla. Reviewers and owners raved about how nice they rode. Maybe I owed them another look!
Here’s where things got weird. Last week Volkswagen showed off the updated ID.4s to the public for the first time. These updates make the car more powerful, solve a lot of the software flaws, and smooth out some other issues. If these fixes worked, might the ID.4 be on equal footing with the Model Y? And if VW was cutting prices, maybe I should run over and test drive one on Saturday?
Then I realized the cars on the lot are all 2023s, while the ones that had hit YouTube are all 2024 model years. It looked like VW was marking down the ’23s at dealers to clear them out for the ’24s which should start rolling out of the Chattanooga plant soon. Some of the software updates might hit the existing models, but VW generally gets poor grades on their software strategy and there has been no clear guidance on how much, if any, of the improvements will be available for the pre–24 models.
Still, a seed was planted and I spent several hours Friday night and Saturday morning reading up on the ID.4, making lists, and comparing specs.
In the end it came down to the ’23 ID.4 having too many quirks and software issues to match the Model Y, especially when priced the same. Had VW cut prices further, so they were cheaper than the Model Y, then I would have been more interested.
My Saturday research then pivoted and landed on a car I really like but had also cut from my list because of price and charging network, the Polestar 2.
I think these look incredible. They get positive reviews. Like the VW, they also support Apple CarPlay and SiriusXM. They are more car than SUV but I just love their looks.
The hook for me was that the used Polestar market, as with so many EVs, has crashed over the past year. I found several that were under 20,000 miles and could he had for half their original price. I smelled blood in the water.
Again, I dove into videos and spec comparison lists.
Then S pointed out something very important that I had not thought of: since there is no Polestar dealer in Indy, what would I do if I needed service? I can have the tires rotated anywhere. But if it won’t start one day or I get a display full of warning lights, who would I call?
The nearest Polestar dealer and service center is in Columbus, OH. Polestar will pay to have your vehicle transported up to 150 miles if needed for service. Columbus is 180 miles away.
Plus it uses the wrong charging network (for now).
Fortunately I only spent about an hour diving into Polestar info.
That wasn’t the end of my hemming-and-hawing, though.
Tesla recently refreshed their Model 3s, the sports car sibling of the Model Y. The new ones look incredible! I’m not usually a red car guy, but I love the new red available on the Model 3.
The newest Model 3 also comes with several other interesting upgrades and improvements, ones that the Model Y will likely receive in 2025. Even better, the low-end Model 3 is the cheapest car in the Tesla lineup, checking in below forty-grand.
Alas, there is almost no backseat space in the Model 3, that low-end model is rear wheel drive, and I recalled from when I drove the Audi A5 for a week last year that I did not like being low to the ground, or at least the getting in-and-out of the low car.
So it’s back to the Model Y. Which isn’t a bad place to be. I’m just making sure.
One other thing about non-Teslas I’ve considered. There was a series of videos about the Kia EV6 I watched at the beginning of this process that got me really juiced about that car. The guy who made them just released a podcast discussing his two year experience with the car. He had the dreaded 12 volt battery issue that scared me away, although he said a simple jump start brought his car back to life. He said other EV6 owners he knows have almost all had a separate, major electrical issue right around 30,000 miles, a milestone he is about to hit. He assumes his car will have the same issue. He confirmed what I had read, that Kia corporate doesn’t seem nimble enough to deal with these issues and the dealerships in his area are clueless when it comes to fixing them.
He loves his EV6 and has been mostly happy with it. He and his wife own three cars between then, so one going out of commission is more of a bummer than a life-altering incident. He confirmed most of my fears about Kia, though. I felt validated.
That’s your update for this week. There’s still plenty in my notebook, so look for more posts about 1) why I’m ditching Audi, 2) my on-going sales experience with Kia, 3) how New Car 2024 fits into my long-term plans, and more.
The Greatest Night In Pop
The funny way to sum up this look at how “We Are The World” was recorded would be to say it was outrageous. Some of you will get that joke.
I’ve read about that night several times, but there were still some terrific little tidbits in this film. I’m on record as not being a fan of the song, but I liked how Bruce Springsteen described his experience: no matter what you think of the song, it was a tool for helping people. That’s probably the best way to remember it. (Chuck Klosterman was on Bill Simmons’ podcast last week and said something along the lines of, “Bruce said the song sucked in the nicest way possible.”)
We still don’t know why Dan Aykroyd was involved. And it kind of ignores Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder singing back and forth to each other near the song’s end. Otherwise very much worth your time.
A
Ed, season two
Year one was better, but I didn’t complain about re-watching 22 more episodes featuring my old pals from Stuckeyville. A few observations. The season premiere was in early October, so a matter of weeks after 9/11. The persistent NBC peacock logo in the corner of the screen included a waving flag graphic for the first half of the season. America! A punch line for many jokes continued to be the word “homosexual” or “gay.” I don’t think the writers were anti-gay, but 20 years ago that kind of stuff was considered normal. I wish these VHS transfers weren’t so grainy because there were some fetching guest stars. Whoever posted these videos also corrected the biggest error of season two. The creators dropped Foo Fighter’s “Next Year” as the theme song. This person put it back in, which is kind of brilliant. On to season three at some point.
B+
Perry Mason, season two
Season one was very good. Everything about season two was better. Despite terrific reviews and decent ratings, it is another victim of mis-management at HBO and there will be no season three. Idiots.
A
Goodfellas
This aired on Super Bowl Sunday afternoon, and I watched the whole (edited) thing. Still the best.
A+
Lethal Weapon/Lethal Weapon 2
One night I came across these and watched a decent chunk of each. Say the last 90 minutes of the first and the first hour of the second. These were high rotation flicks for me back in the early 90s. Parts hold up. Parts are kind of fucking stupid. No grades since I didn’t see the entire movies.
Incomplete
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
I thought this had some terrific high points, some slow points that dragged a bit, and then some bits that were just odd/confusing and distracted. Much like The Americans, it is a spy show that is far more about being in a marriage than being a spy. Unlike Phillip and Elizabeth Jennings, who we met nearly two decades into their relationship, we see John and Jane Smith come together and try to navigate a new, forced relationship as they kill people. And, like The Americans, Mr. & Mrs. Smith does a great job at demonstrating that marriage is a tough task to begin with. Throw a bunch of super stressful stuff on top of it, and it gets even harder.
I think the strength of this show became more obvious after completing it, when I had time to contemplate and connect those broader observations about marriage together. I wish it had maintained the trajectory of my favorite episodes, but the less successful ones did not cancel them out.
B
True Detective: Night Country
Most disappointing show I’ve watched in some time. It arrived with the promise of calling back to season one, one of the best years in recent TV history. And there were some connections, but they often felt forced. The bigger problem was the story fell apart as the season progressed. Through much of the final three episodes it felt like the writers were meandering, looking for ways to make the story compelling but always falling short. Much of the dialogue seemed lazy and couldn’t be saved by the fine actors asked to speak it. And then the resolutions to the various mysteries? Some of them seemed flat-out dumb. From what I’ve read this was a highly polarizing season, for a variety of reasons. I’m in the camp that was not convinced.
B-
Help! I Wrecked My House
We got sucked into this one Sunday and watched it for approximately 153 consecutive hours. I like that the host isn’t all over-the-top about things. California chill works for me.
I haven’t been using the YouTubes as much lately. Last month I had a goal of watching a little more so I could get my algorithm back to recommending cool, random stuff.
The ONE thing keeping this iconic vintage laptop from working…
I love the concept of videos like this, tinkering with old tech tools and getting them to work again. I always question the utility of them, though. How much can you really accomplish with a vintage computer. I guess, like so many hobbies, it’s all about spending time doing something you enjoy.
NA1SS Voice Contact Astronaut
The radio geek in me thinks this is pretty cool, contacting the international space station from your backyard with a handheld radio and antenna.
Finally, my EV content, which took over my life the last two weeks of the month. Rather than share every video – which would probably make you worry about my mental health – I’ll ID the feeds I spent the most time in.
A relatively laid-back weekend, although some of that was unexpected, so a quick post to get the new week started. No, I did not buy a car.
Jayhawk Talk
Another road loss, although the game at Baylor was chalked up as an L to begin the season, so no real harm. Kevin McCullar came back and looked decent. He still can’t hit a 3 and missed two makable layups, so maybe he’s 100% healthy? He was certainly rusty, so maybe the outside shot comes back if he can stay on the court.
KU battled well, coming back multiple times to take the lead. Baylor just did not miss in the last 5:00, or when they did there was a 100% chance they were getting the rebound. Still, the Jayhawks blew a couple possessions in crunch time that could have kept it close to the final buzzer.
The most concerning thing was Johnny Furphy getting absolutely cooked on defense. He’s generally been fine on D, balancing bad possessions with decent ones, his length making up for bad footwork and his lack of strength. But, man, the Bears put him insolation against either smaller or longer players and worked him over. KU fans immediately requested that film be sent to every NBA GM to show that he isn’t ready to be a pro yet.
Illness
Sunday was supposed to be L’s first “training camp” for her travel program. She had to stay home, though, because she tested positive for Covid Friday after school. She felt pretty bad most of the weekend but was acting better Sunday evening. She’s like a Covid magnet. She told us it seemed like everyone at school has the flu. I’m guessing those kids parents don’t test them for Covid anymore like we do.
So far no one else is the house has got it. I guess it was good for her to get it out of the way two weeks before spring break.
She has her school team end-of-year gathering tonight then first official travel practice tomorrow night.
School Calendar
She and C have reached the silly part of their school year.
Wednesday C takes the SAT, so she only has half a day and L gets to stay home and eLearn. They get next Friday off going into spring break. The week after spring break they get Good Friday off, then Easter Monday the following week. Finally CHS announced two weeks ago they are elearning on eclipse day, April 8.
The next time they have a normal, five-day school week is the week of April 15. And then the school year is almost over.
“The Sound of Suffering” – Salim Nourallah
I’ve long used these playlists to celebrate Spotify’s Discover Weekly feature, and share new discoveries I’ve made through it. I have to admit that something about their algorithm has changed and it has been sucking lately. It has been offering music that doesn’t match either what I listen to historically or recently. Like not even close. But this song was in my new playlist on Monday, so maybe they have made corrections to the model and the suggestions are improving. This song sounds like a young Tom Petty playing Ryan Adams’ poppiest music.
“Hawkmoon” – Hurray For The Riff Raff
Alynda Segarra’s new album is the best album of the young year. One critic praised it as the next, great American road trip album. It does get a little one-notey in the second half, but the good songs are so freaking good. This is the first contender for song of the year. “I’m becoming the kind of girl that they warned me about.”
“Hall & Oates” – IDLES
“IT FEELS LIKE HALL & OATES IS PLAYING IN MY EAR!” I don’t listen to enough songs that make me want to run through walls anymore.
“Hard Times – Max Von Sydow Remix” – Whyte Horse, John Grant, Max Von Sydow
This is some good shit.
“My Father’s Eyes” – Willow Parlo
And this is some beautiful shit. Can’t find much on the web about this or the previous song, thus the glib comments.
“Dig” – Louise Burns
Let’s go all the way back to 2017 for this tremendous track.
“Dancing with Myself” – Maren Morris covering Billy Idol
I (in)famously “slam-danced” to this song at many high school dances, once being pulled aside by our principal and told that “We do not have slam dancing at Raytown.” Most rebellious act of my life. Morris takes Billy’s classic in a lovely new direction. Where Billy was energized and defiant, Morris sounds beaten down by life, the act of being alone is a relief from her everyday stresses.
“Radio Ga Ga” – Queen
Entering the chart at #38 this week in 1984 was the final American Top 40 song of Queen’s career while Freddy Mercury was still alive. A good song to begin with made legendary by their Live Aid performance of it a year later.
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