I don’t remember exactly when, but sometime in the mid-aughts, I fell in love with The Sea and Cake. And, as the summer of 2022 now officially drifts into fall and I ritualistically put The Biz on my turntable, I am reminded of a peculiar story that refuses to leave my subconscious. This description gets loosely thrown around all the time, but I truly believe that TSAC is a band that you either love obsessively, or listen to only very, very casually. I would argue that there is no in-between, as detractors are quick to dismiss their jazz pop, bossa nova (occasionally drifting into ambient) trappings as mere pleasant, background muzak. The one caveat to this rule is that their music is, admittedly, one that tends to lend itself to seasonal autumn and springtime listening. And even though I think Oui, The Biz and One Bedroom are all terrific records front to back, they are a rare exception in one regard. I would probably recommend a newcomer instead try a curated compilation of their best material.
Morning Bites: Kali Fajardo-Anstine on Writing, Alex DiFrancesco Nonfiction, David Leo Rice Interviewed, and More
In our morning reading: interviews with Kali Fajardo-Anstine and David Leo Rice, new writing by Alex DiFrancesco, and more.
Afternoon Bites: Maaza Mengiste, Ariana Harwicz Interviewed, Maxim Loskutoff, Stephen Graham Jones Fiction, and More
In our afternoon reading: writing by Maaza Mengiste and Stephen Graham Jones, thoughts on Sam Prekop’s new album, and more.