Island vibes, new mixtapes, and blockbuster movies... what else could you need to beat the heat? We got a little bit of everything in Friday Five, Volume 32, but one thing is for sure: it'll all make your weekend better.
Logic - Bobby Tarantino III
After a short-lived retirement, rapper Logic is back, and we are pretty fired up. After a few months of dropping singles and tracks online, Logic finally dropped the full-length version of Bobby Tarantino III, completing the mixtape trilogy he started in 2016. He announced his retirement after No Pressure, which made our Friday Five for all of 2020, but he didn’t stay out of the studio for long. As far as Logic goes, BTIII is pretty standard, with an eclectic mix of beats accompanied by the rapper’s trademark flow. “My Way” stands out as our favorite track from the project, both because of its musical groove as well as the message behind the track. It’s got a great beat underneath to get you moving a little, and the song is all about following your passion and living life how you want to live it. There also might be a nod to Sinatra in the title, which we will never complain about. Logic also dropped an important message in the penultimate track, “See You Space Cowboy…”, announcing that he’s working on his last record with the iconic Def Jam label. Whatever comes next for the young rapper, we’re just happy he’s back in the game.
The Suicide Squad
We’re taking a big swing with our movie pick this week, but it has to be The Suicide Squad, which released in theaters and on HBO Max yesterday. The last one was BAD, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. But we have faith in Idris Elba and director James Gunn to lift up this super hero (or super villain?) franchise into something worth watching, and if the trailer is any indication, it looks like they might pull through. Beyond Elba, the cast of the movie is incredible, with stars like Viola Davis and Margot Robbie returning in their old roles alongside newcomers like Pete Davidson and John Cena. We are hoping that the new Suicide Squad can take advantage of its “R” rating, along with the boom in inappropriate super hero content, and give us something we want to see more of. At the very least, it should have lots of big, loud effects that entertain us while we chow down on some popcorn. We hope.
The White Lotus
Speaking of loaded casts, HBO’s The White Lotus is packed to the brim with star actors and actresses, and it lets its stars cook. The limited series takes place at a remote Hawaiian resort, but despite the gorgeous scenery, there is an uncomfortable sense of dread lingering over the whole show. The characters, dialogue, score -- all of it is designed to put you on edge, but in the best way possible. Every episode has at least three nightmare vacation scenarios, and yet you can’t stop watching. And again, everyone from Connie Britton to Jennifer Coolidge to Molly Shannon make an appearance, mostly in incredibly funny or cringeworthy situations. Shoutout to creator Mike White, AKA School of Rock’s Ned Schneebly, for creating this wild Hawaiian romp. Above all else, the show is really all about strange, strange vibes. Don’t look too closely at the plot or characters, just embrace the weird, and let it wash over you.
Jaxon Roberts
Now, if you want relaxing beach vibes, head on over to Jaxon Roberts’s Instagram feed. This week, we stumbled on an image he created a few years ago that he re-purposed as an NFT, and it stopped us in our tracks (or, scroll). The scale of the image is really cool, and while it is relatively simple, the colors and angles are pretty breathtaking. The rest of his feed is amazing as well, and incredibly serene. It definitely makes us want to move to a beach town in Australia! The overhead photography he captures is especially wild, and the crystal clear blues and sunset landscapes are immaculate. If you’re feeling stressed, just sink into his feed for a little and let your worries wash away.
KLOS Sessions
We love seeing behind-the-scenes breakdowns of pretty much anything creative, and this week, we were all in on the “KLOS Session.” Each week, a few DJs at KLOS radio take a deep dive into one music track, new or old, and pick apart every tiny detail that went into the making of the song. They’ve covered everything from John Mayer’s most recent hit to Steely Dan’s “Do It Again,” taking on a variety of tracks across all musical genres. The KLOS crew looks at each individual piece of a song, breaking down each instrumental part and the vocals, and slowly pieces the tune back together. Episodes on Tool’s “Schism” and War’s “Spill The Wine” were particularly mind-blowing to us, but pretty much every Session has a part that is truly unbelievable. And at just 20 minutes each, it is incredibly easy to fall down a rabbithole and binge-listen to a ton of episodes in a row. Enjoy responsibly -- don’t say we didn’t warn you!