Josh Talks: Small Talks HoCC's Staff Picks
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 10 hours ago
Roberta Flack Needle Drop in "Waiting to Exhale"
Literally what a movie. Towards the end, the film’s omniscient radio DJ drops “It Might Be You” from Tootsie while the friends are in the car. Whitney Houston leads the ensemble in a sing-along; mind you, her character is a yuppie TV producer. The late Roberta Flack recorded the cover heard in the film. I love those serendipitous moments where a cover is better than the original. The rework from the original’s bright, jaunty soft rock to Flack’s quiet-storm slow jam is impressive. After watching Waiting to Exhale, I finally made my way back to the original: great gowns, beautiful gowns. What were they even doing in Tootsie to warrant all that? I watched shortly after Lauryn Hill’s D’Angelo and Roberta Flack tribute at the Grammys. Legends never die, RIP.
The Zone of Interest
Obsessed with using the Small Talks account to talk about things that are not music-related at all. Finally got around to this movie. I’ve never seen anything from Jonathan Glazer other than his music video work, but truly no one else is doing it like this. Its detractors take issue with its styling or lack there-of – but I found myself totally engrossed by its experimentation. That‘s also thanks to Christian Friedel and Sandra Hüller’s performances. Composer Mica Levi’s reincorporation (and subversion) of classic Hollywood fixtures, like the overture, are unbelievably prescient and moving. What a haunting mirror of a movie. Never Again is Now.
Mood Machine - Liz Pelly
It’s “the book that makes you want to delete your Spotify”. I bought it at McNally Jackson on sale while in New York for a childhood friend’s wedding (and also to see Emma and co.). DSPs like Spotify contribute to a harder environment for the working musician, but wow, Spotify is uniquely problematic and, worse, thinks way too highly of its scope. I understand the net gain as a new artist distributing to a platform that big, but seeing any decent compensation is a pipe dream. As a user, its predictive algorithm isn’t even good at spitting back my taste to me, and I say this as someone skeptical of Discover Weekly since day one. The amount of research Pelly put into this side of music history is necessary and, honestly, very depressing. There are still things I’ve liked about its usability. I’d listen to my friends’ podcast on it because of the interface. For everyday music, I’ve switched to my mom-and-pop Apple Music for now #1PennyPerStream; but that’s hardly a catch-all to the Pandora's box Spotify has opened. She asserts that the one-size-fits-all solution comes from the framework that started this problem. Gave me a lot to self-examine.
Order Mood Machine here.
Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie
They did it! It feels so good to see Matt Johnson level up with each project. I’ve been a fan for 10 years since his debut, “The Dirties.” His creative partnership with Jay McCarrol is so unique and heartwarming–the original compositions are a clever riff on “Back to the Future”. All of the cultural references are right on the pulse, and I love a joke-a-minute movie that soars, or in this case, skydives off the CN Tower. With a nod and a wink, McCarrol reclaims “Never Come Down”, a real-life song he made as Brave Shores, an indie pop duo he started with his sister, Stefanie. That track was somehow co-opted by MAGA as a meme during Trump 1.0: a nightmare, literally a nightmare. These two have such an infectious energy on screen, it was inspiring on all counts. Small Talks should play The Rivoli.
Lovers Live - Sade
Somewhere in my friend (and occasional bandmate) Jessica’s Iowa apartment is a stack of CDs she got for my 24th birthday. I turn 26 this year, so I started the Year of the Horse by visiting her and looking through the library of physical media she’s acquired for me. I couldn’t bring it all back, but I did manage to fit this Sade live album in my Allegiant Airlines-mandated bag. No skips on this setlist. Her vocal delivery, even in a live setting, is simultaneously so delicate and powerful. Most of my exposure to Sade growing up was through radio play or greatest hits compilations; to finally own a work of hers is great. I have yet to find an artist in this day and age who is truly waking this sound up, but her impact is endless. “Is It a Crime” studio version already makes me feel crazy, but as a live finale, even more so. Starting to think A Flat Major/Fmin is a goated key signature. Thanks, Jessica! I’ll keep that in mind.
Brostep & "Clarity" by Zedd
Still reeling from the JVB show, I literally love those guys. They dropped “Rock n’ Roll’ by Skrillex during the set too. The whole thing just sent me back down a rabbit hole, as their music usually does. Go listen to the deluxe of HYPERYOUTH, it just dropped last week! One of the new songs samples Divinity by Porter Robinson. In the rabbit hole, I found out he had a hand in "Clarity" by Zedd. I'm not sure if he likes the end product much, but it’s okay, I do!
"A Thousand & One" Score
One of the most underrated soundtracks of the decade. Gary Gunn’s main theme will go down as an all-timer. The organic elements overlapping with the boom-bap percussion feel so grand and full of possibilities. I’m no genius about film composing, but one thing I’ve learned: if it’s good, you have to repeat it. Not even on the basis of “insisting upon yourself”, but by way of crafting a story musically. I hope those who have tapped into the inimitable Teyana Taylor from One Battle find their way to this movie. A.V. Rockwell I’m excited to see what you do next. Snubbed!
Underscores Music Videos
Every track leading up to this new album has been a hit. I saw a really cynical and outdated take from a director-content creator about not liking music video production. Leave it to Underscores to show just how wrong it is to write the whole form off as purely a “promotional” fluff or a neutered interpretation of music. She’s self-directed all of the visuals for this upcoming project too! Love the gonzo style of “Tell Me (U Want It)”, from the BTS photos posted by members of the production team it looked like they used iPhones, not even rigged out or anything, and it looks great. I used to scoff at filmmakers with oodles of money and experience saying: pull out your phone and you can make a movie today. Because of Underscores, I now understand what that can look like. All my friends, clear your storage. We're doing exactly that. Blackmagic Camera App Against The World.
OUTSIDE - Ron Mercy, DJNOTURGIRL, Twinn Dixie
It makes me want to jump like a frog. I’ve been in hermetic unc mode a lot, but if I ever hear that in public, it’s over. (When I’m “back outside again”). Every different passage and percussive change is a knockout. A "Super Smash Bros." level collab, kind of the Gulf Coast “Bang Bang”, when you think about it. I, for one, would love to make a Gulf Coast “We Are The World”, if only.
Graphic Designer Jean Pierre Consuegra
That guy is an indie darling, and I really mean it. Every single use of grain and saturation is mind-boggling. I’ve gotta give it up for how he sticks up for graphic designers in music; apparently, in the design world, there are haters on that kind of work (why?). When we were making the print version of Small Talks, I’d take my blinders off for a split second and be dumbfounded at what he posts. I’d then lock back into stumbling my way through my Illustrator-to-InDesign workflow. When the Clairo shirts dropped last year, I saw he designed one. My friend, the biggest Clairo-head I know, said he didn’t wanna buy merch anymore because he doesn’t want to be seen as "performative". Guys we can’t let #them win, we’ve gotta live a little. I personally didn’t buy it because it went out of stock very quickly, in true indie darling fashion. E-commerce has never really been my forte.
Joshua Reynes is the Head of Content & Creative for Small Talks Magazine. He can be reached at @jreyreyj on Instagram. For more work, see joshuaereynes.com.
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