Having vowed to give up reading books, I here confess my abject failure. I’ve not only read, but reviewed, two new ones: Wendy Brown’s Nihilistic Times, for the LA Review of Books, and What’s the Use of Philosophy? by Philip Kitcher, for the LRB.
What I promised you instead was rock ’n’ roll, and there I’ve had some success. The National’s new album, First Two Pages of Frankenstein, came out yesterday and while I’ve not had time to listen to it carefully, I know it will be good. My favourite single so far celebrates another band:
My other recent listening has been less rock ’n’ roll, except on the most perversely spacious definition. Alex Ross was not impressed by Max Richter, a composer I enjoy, but his article introduced me to Cassandra Miller’s stunning viola concerto, “I cannot love without trembling”—based on a quote from Simone Weil—which you can listen to online (though you have to skip to 1:02:28). Meanwhile, on Richter: if you’re open to persuasion, his NPR Tiny Desk Concert gives a fair impression:
Finally, forthcoming May 5, a new album by a cappella octet Roomful of Teeth, featuring Caroline Shaw’s breathtaking choral adaptation of The Tempest. Hearing it live at MASS MoCA four years ago was an out-of-body experience.
For Simone Weil-related music, you may be interested in "The Death Of Simone Weil" by Darrell Katz
https://www.innova.mu/albums/darrell-katz/death-simone-weil
You may also like William Basinski's "The Disintegration Loops" for heavily repetitive minimalism which is vaguely associated with Richter in my mind, though there might not be much of a connection.
I woke up this morning with this line from "New Order T-Shirt" in my head: "I keep what I can of you / Split-second glimpses and snapshots and sounds." The song was still playing in my head when I set out on a bike ride.
Love Roomful of Teeth and Caroline Shaw. Really looking forward to the new record!
Other new music I've been enjoying during the past week: Everything But the Girl's Fuse (it's brief, but good — worthy follow-up to what they were doing 20 years ago, when last they put out a record), Rodney Crowell's "Lucky" (warm, piano-driven country tune), Worriers' "Pollen in the Air" (wistful synth-pop), HØST's Fuglesang (a cappella Danish folk music).