As I find myself with more time on my chubby hands than I have ever had before, I might as well stop being lazy and change things up a bit. So, whilever this global pandemic continues, and not a day more, I will be piping up every Tuesday or so with five things that you might enjoy. Let’s go…
TV – Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness
Available on: Netflix
If you haven’t already watched it then you have definitely heard about it. This, quite frankly, outrageous tale of hitmen, massive cats and facial piercings is a bonkers as they come. Each character could feasibly have come straight from the fictional and very much animated town of South Park, such is their emotional proximity to actual cartoon characters. Already the most wildly entertaining show of the year so far.
Also watching:
Sorry For Your Loss (Facebook Watch)
Film: The Platform
Available on: Netflix
Another one that has created a lot of buzz, including from me, in this review. The Platform is not your typical horror film. Set in a alternate dystopian future where prison has been replaced by a nightmarish scenario in which a huge platform of food passes through various cells leaving none for the those at the bottom, The Platform is divisive and controversial in equal measure. Always a good sign.
Podcast: Clive Tyldesley on Quickly Kevin
Long term readers (all six of you) will have heard me wax lyrical about ’90s football podcast Quickly Kevin, Will He Score? many times before. The sixth series kicked off last week with a wonderfully life affirming interview with Wolves legend Steve Bull but episode 2 kicks things up a notch as legendary commentator Clive Tyldesley joins the fray.
I’ve always had misgivings about Clive Tyldesley as I suspect he might be a Manchester United fan, but his warmth and passion for the game are impossible to deny, and he makes for an open and honest interviewee. A great start to series six.
Song: Bright Eyes – Persona Non Grata
I could have gone for Bob Dylan’s first original song in eight years, the beautifully sprawling Murder Most Foul, or I could have opted for Michael Stipes long awaited return with the haunting No Time For Love Like Now. For me though, the coming apocalypse can be soundtracked by only one man. And that man, is Conor Oberst.
As my friend Chris pointed out, Bright Eyes releasing their first song for nine years in the midst of a global pandemic is the most Bright Eyes thing ever, and Persona Non Grata more than makes up for their lengthy absence.
Sonically oppressive and lyrically brilliant, Persona Non Grata incorporates the familiar Bright Eyes sound whilst also exploring pastures now (bagpipe solo anyone?) to produce a track that hints at just how vital the upcoming new album could be. A tantalising glimpse into the mind of a genius.
Article: What will the world be like after coronavirus? Four possible futures.
Published in: Non for profit media outlet The Conversation. Link here.
Full disclosure, this article was written by my brother-in-law, but that doesn’t change the fact that it is a fascinating, sobering take on what the future may hold – particularly on an economic level. While the situation around coronavirus seems to change almost by the hour, it is refreshing to read something so well researched and argued, and yet so accessible to someone who, like me, has a monkey brain. Well worth ten minutes of your time.