If you know George Miller primarily as the shock-comedy expert who helped make Baauer’s “Harlem Shake” go viral with a series of puerile hip thrusts in 2013, his new album under the name Joji might be evidence of one of the greatest transformations in modern pop culture. Ballads 1 is elegiac and prettily pout-faced; Miller used to make you cringe, Joji makes you cry. Like most transformations, this one wasn’t immediate. Miller started putting out music in 2014, initially under the name Pink Guy; he trafficked in rap that stuck close to the outrageously click-tastic videos he made as Filthy Frank. But soon he began to release more meditative, melodic songs, settling on the name Joji. In 2017, Joji put out In Tongues , a bruised, sensitive, one-note EP; he also issued an official statement ending Filthy Frank. In Tongues felt like the same song over and over — some days, hearing yet another dour ballad gloomed up with unvarying drum programming is cause enough … [Read more...] about Review: Joji Masters Self-Deprecating Pop on ‘Ballads 1’
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Review: 88rising Celebrate Hip-Hop Globalism on ‘Head In the Clouds’
The streaming age has – happily – broadened hip-hop’s boundaries, allowing U.S. and English-speaking listeners to easily discover how other cultures have put their own spin on the genre. The New York-centered collective 88rising is representative of hip-hop’s ascendant globalism: It includes acts from Indonesia (rapper Rich Brian and R&B singer NIKI), Japan (R&B singer Joji), China (the rap/pop group Higher Brothers) and South Korea (rapper Keith Ape), as well as L.A. artist August 08. The crew’s debut echoes of-the-moment sounds, particularly on the thumping trap of Higher Brothers, Rich Brian and August 08’s “Disrespectin” and the candied pop waves of NIKI and Joji’s “La Cienaga.” Higher Brothers easily glide between Chinese and English alongside Memphis rapper Blocboy JB on “Let It Go”; crew tracks like “Swimming Pool” and “Lover Boy 88” are further proof of how collectives like 88rising and Brockhampton are remaking pop-rap with ecstatic glee (and a bit of Glee ). Cameos … [Read more...] about Review: 88rising Celebrate Hip-Hop Globalism on ‘Head In the Clouds’
Gloria Calderón Kellett & Taran Killam Rom Com Series ‘Arranged’ In Works At Freevee; ‘SNL’ Alum Set To Star
EXCLUSIVE : Freevee , Amazon’s ad-supported video streaming service is developing Arranged , a half-hour single-camera romantic comedy series co-written and executive produced by With Love creator Gloria Calderón Kellett and Saturday Night Live alum Taran Killam . The project stems from Kellett’s GloNation Studios under the company’s overall deal with Amazon Studios. Arranged follows a self-destructive movie star (Killam) and an ambitious pop Latina diva who agree to a mutually beneficial “public relationship” in order to help sell her upcoming breakup album and save his declining career, a decision they immediately regret as they quickly realize they hate each other’s guts. The series is fictional but there are obvious points of reference: the high-profile romances between Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck as well as Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson. Kellett and Killam will executive produce with Marc Provissiero ( Pen15 ) for Kellett’s GloNation banner as part of … [Read more...] about Gloria Calderón Kellett & Taran Killam Rom Com Series ‘Arranged’ In Works At Freevee; ‘SNL’ Alum Set To Star
What to Watch on HBO Max: ‘The Staircase,’ ‘Spring Awakening’ and the Return of ‘Hacks’
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission. Movies? Returning series? New series? Reunions of Tony-winning Broadway casts of hit musicals? HBO Max has it all in May. The return of Hacks is the immediate standout here, but it’s not the only promising piece of original programming. Beyond that, May offers a chance to catch up with some great movies you might have missed, starting with a Nineties classic from Hong Kong. Watch all of these shows and films for free with a subscription to HBO Max . An HBO Max subscription costs just $9.99/month. Go ad-free with the HBO Max no-ads package for just $14.99/month (in line with pricing for Netflix or the popular $13.99 Disney Bundle ). See full HBO Max sign-up details here . Buy: HBO Max Subscription at $9.99 Chungking Express (May 1) Partly thanks to the endorsement of Quentin Tarantino, Hong Kong director … [Read more...] about What to Watch on HBO Max: ‘The Staircase,’ ‘Spring Awakening’ and the Return of ‘Hacks’
‘Better Call Saul’ Midseason Finale Recap: The Return — and Retribution — of Lalo
A review of the Better Call Saul mid-season finale, “Plan and Execution,” coming up just as soon as I represent the views of the equipment center… “You’re perfect for each other. You have a piece missing.” —Howard Early in “Plan and Execution,” a young HHM associate named Cary is so startled to find Howard Hamlin in the conference room well ahead of the planned mediation with the Sandpiper defense team that he spills part of a tray of soda cans. Howard points out to his anxious employee that the dropped cans are at risk of exploding, but teaches him a simple trick to calm them down: Simply place each can on a table and rotate it along its axis, and the centrifugal force will make the pernicious bubbles go away. Howard is, we know, a meticulous person bordering on control freak. This notion of being able to contain something you know is supposed to explode is very much him. For that matter, it is very much Chuck McGill, whom Howard explains taught him this particular hack. … [Read more...] about ‘Better Call Saul’ Midseason Finale Recap: The Return — and Retribution — of Lalo