This is a place where we gather up the pieces of pop culture we’ve been thinking about and feel the need to share. New or old, popular or waiting to be discovered. Here is what you should check out in October.
Music: “Saint” by Blood Orange
A jazzy hymnal about companionship with a hypnotizing drum loop and a collection of voices weaving in and out of the arrangement. Blood Orange is the stage name of singer, songwriter, and producer Dev Hynes, who has worked with artists like Haim, Solange Knowles and Carly Rae Jepsen. I found this song on the podcast “Song Exploder” a couple weeks ago and have added it to a bunch of my playlists.
Music: “Iridescence” by Brockhampton
The “Hardest Working Boy Band in Show Business” is back with another stellar album. The hip-hop collective blew up last year with the independent release of their “Saturation” trilogy which featured a variety of vocal and musical stylings and breathed a refreshing wave of experimentation to the rap game. Now signed to RCA Records, the band has released their first album in their new “The Best Years of Our Lives” trilogy and the album features some deep, emotional themes and great unique music throughout.
Television: “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” (Netflix)
Monty Python’s groundbreaking sketch comedy series may be old, but it still packs 45 episodes worth of clever, gut-busting laughs. The British comedy troupe originally aired the show on BBC from 1969-74 and in those years made a mark for themselves as a powerhouse of comedy. Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle and the rest of the talented cast will take you on a trippy, hilarious journey you won’t want to miss.
Movie: “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World”
This is a very fun and surprisingly emotional movie that is really one-of-a-kind. Though there are some polarizing opinions on it, most college-aged people should find it massively enjoyable from its rapid-fire humor to its stylized feel. Plus it’s recently been put on Netflix, so bum off your friend’s or parents’ account and watch this future classic.
Video Game: “Titanfall 2” (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC)
The sequel to 2014’s debut from Respawn Entertainment was lost in the annual matchup between Call of Duty and Battlefield. You can feel the excitement running under each level as the creators introduce new concepts and push you through the gauntlet. Nothing has given me such a pure feeling of joy than when I’m running across a wall or jumping through time to avoid soldiers, and the multiplayer is varied enough to make it worth returning to.
Book: “Less” by Andrew Sean Greer
This quick novel recently won the Pulitzer Prize. It follows failed author Arthur Less as he goes on an ambitious year-long trip around the world to avoid attending his ex-boyfriend’s wedding. Along the way he finds himself in unexpected situations and not quite as fluent in languages as he thought. It’s a human comedy with a quirky and misleadingly self-conscious narrator that you might just fall for yourself.