Month: April 2025

The Magic We Once Had With Browsing the Web Is Dwindling

Linked List
Jason Tate

Paul Stamatiou:

Before we had AI answer engines, and before we had search engines we just had lists of links with web directories like aliweb, Yahoo! Directory and dmoz. You’d tediously wade through these directories to find and absorb content you were interested in, or just to explore and tinker. Everything online was created by people and you were getting a glimpse into their world with each site.

The web grew. We gained search engines, blogs, feed readers, social media and more. While there were new ways of creating content and new ways of consuming, when you really needed something you’d still turn to a search engine and click around until you found what you needed.

This led to inevitable moments of delightful and serendipitous discovery. There was real joy in discovering another unique voice online, someone whose articles and interests were right up your alley. Their style of writing lended itself to being devoured in one sitting, while you scan their site to see how you can bookmark or subscribe to keep tabs on their latest works.

It wasn’t just about stumbling upon a random personal blog that was a fun occasion. It was finding communities you didn’t know existed.

This entire piece nails so many things I’ve been feeling over the past couple of years.

My Life In 35 Songs, Track 2: “Hanging By A Moment” by Lifehouse

My Life in 35 Songs
Craig Manning

Desperate for changing, starving for truth/I’m closer to where I started, I’m chasing after you.

One thing to know about the way I consume music is that, by and large, I do not care about the charts. While knowing what songs have gone to number 1 over the years makes for fun trivia, it has little to no bearing on what music I love or find value in. But for one summer when I was 11 years old, I became obsessed with chart-watching, and this song was the reason why.

It’s been long enough since the summer of 2001 that I don’t really recall what initially inspired me to turn on the clock radio in my bedroom on some stray Sunday morning and tune in to Casey Kasem’s American Top 40 countdown. As far as I can remember, that show kicked off at 8 in the morning and ran until lunchtime. It was not, in other words, the kind of thing you’d expect a preteen boy to find himself enmeshed in during the summertime, when more interesting engagements like sleeping in or playing video games were options. Plus, AT40 was loaded with commercial breaks and packed with songs that I, as someone who did not have much of a taste for the R&B-flavored pop that was dominant at the turn of the century, actively disliked. Why did I subject myself to four hours of this nonsense when I could have been doing literally anything else?

Read More “My Life In 35 Songs, Track 2: “Hanging By A Moment” by Lifehouse”

Talulah Paisley – “What’s It Like?” (Video Premiere)

Talulah Paisley
Adam Grundy

Just in time for April Fool’s Day, Talulah Paisley has announced her debut LP, called Fool, that will be released everywhere music is sold on June 11th. On top of that, I’m excited to share with everyone her debut single and video for “What’s It Like?” Talulah Paisley shared:

I wrote this song when I was about to graduate from college. I had my entire life ahead of me and I feared I wouldn’t live up to its promise…what if: I did nothing with my life? What if I am a waste? I make no impact, no connection? I played and sung all the instruments on the track except that whistle- that was my bandmate, sweet Athena from the band Awksymoron. This song marks the first time I’ve ever recorded drums! The idea for the music video came from how I always notice little things on the street in NYC, and I pick them up and keep them- playing cards, dice, those plastic neon barrettes you wore when you were a little girl. I feel these objects are magical, and a reminder to play. I hand-painted the bike, helmet and spray painted the roses. I also handmade the costume. It was inspired by the incredibly brave and graceful lady lion tamers of circus’ past, who risked their lives in the name of spectacle.

If you’re enjoying the new video/single, please consider supporting this artist here. I was also able to catch up with Talulah Paisley for a brief interview below.

Read More “Talulah Paisley – “What’s It Like?” (Video Premiere)”

Beatles Biopic Announces Cast

The Beatles
Jason Tate

The Beatles biopic has announced its cast:

After months of buzz, director Sam Mendes has confirmed that he will helm The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event. Mendes also revealed at CinemaCon that the film has been cast with actors Harris Dickinson, Paul Mescal, Barry Keoghan and Joseph Quinn stepping into their roles as John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison.