The Weekender #13: Supersized Memorial Day Edition
The Weekender #13: Supersized Memorial Day Edition
Playlists and culture recommendations for your long weekend!
The Weekender is a curated listening, watching, and reading experience to give your weekend a sensory upgrade. Subscribe to get The Weekender in your inbox free every Friday. Today’s supersized edition may be too long for email - to read the full issue, click here.
You can now buy the above Weekender bag at our Gift Shop, along with a vinyl carrying tote and a coffee mug! Paid subs to The Wax Museum get $10 off at checkout, and are entered into our monthly signed vinyl giveaway! A winner will be chosen on June 14th, and they’ll get to pick their favorite from the vinyl below.
What to Listen to This Weekend
Happy Memorial Day weekend! From the sizzling high 90s of Orlando, I bring you a playlist hotter than a Florida afternoon.
This 3-hour mix, available on Spotify and Apple Music, is perfect for BBQs, pool parties, and outdoor hangs. With 33 songs spinning like your favorite vinyl at 33 RPMs, this playlist spans 50 years — from 1974 to 2024 and everything in between. These tracks have been my go-to patio jams lately, and I hope they become yours too. Fire up the grill and kick off your summer right!
What better time than a long weekend to dive into the world of the Grateful Dead?
Music and culture writer
just published a captivating, 33-minute read detailing his obsession into the Grateful Dead, “cramming years of fandom into a few months,” culminating with three nights last weekend seeing Dead & Company at the Sphere in Las Vegas.To complement the piece, Josh curated a 25-song playlist of live cuts, offering a mix of his favorites and ideal tracks for those starting their Grateful Dead journey.
Now we turn our attention to three standout albums that were released today.
DIIV - Frog in Boiling Water
Get Vinyl: Melting Amber | Red | Green | Black
Brooklyn's rock/shoegaze outfit DIIV (pronounced "Dive") makes a triumphant return with their fourth album, Frog in Boiling Water, ending a five-year drought since their last release.
This is their most ambitious work yet, meticulously put together with attention to detail in every lyric, chord, and melody. These ten tracks are drenched in beautiful reverb, with guitar melodies that offer an instant dopamine rush.
DIIV’s frontman Zachary Cole Smith has labeled this album "political shoegaze," a rare designation for a genre not known for its lyrical depth. Keep Genius open while listening, and you’ll uncover a tense exploration of trying to find purpose against the backdrop of global upheaval and end-stage capitalism here at home. Frog in Boiling Water succeeds in capturing the essence of our chaotic world while evoking an immersive wall of sound that resonates deeply.
Vince Staples - Dark Times
Get Vinyl: Clear, available for one week only, limited to /4000
Long Beach rapper Vince Staples closes out a decade-long partnership with Def Jam with his final project, Dark Times. Over ten years and seven albums, Vince has only gotten better, refining his storytelling and mastering song structure. The hooks are tighter, the raps are sharp as ever, and his laid-back flow floats effortlessly.
Vince has always excelled at crafting short, cohesive albums, and Dark Times is no exception. With 13 tracks clocking in at 35 minutes, it's get in, get the bag, get out. The no-skip affair loops so seamlessly you might not even realize it's over.
Also, don’t miss his five-episode comedy series on Netflix, which we reviewed back in The Weekender #3. Vince Staples proves once again why he's one of the most creative rappers in the game.
mui zyu - nothing or something to die for
Get Vinyl: Glow in the Dark
Eva Liu, the London-by-way-of-Hong-Kong artist known as mui zyu, is on a pursuit of happiness with her second album, nothing or something to die for, out today via Father/Daughter Records. This captivating blend of bedroom pop and trip-hop features dreamy, glitchy soundscapes and minimalist, melancholic electronica. Despite its laid-back vibe, the album holds your attention with its beauty and frequent moments of oddity and surprises like layered vocals, looped drum machines, and charmingly out-of-tune synths. Liu's creativity shines, delivering an intriguing sophomore effort.
Lastly I want to give a final shout-out to Montreal emo band Gulfer, who announced their breakup this week after dropping one of my favorite albums of the year, Third Wind, back in February. What a way to go out.
Third Wind is currently #15 on our Album of the Year leaderboard, and “Drainer” and “Vacant Spirit” both appear on our Best Songs of 2024 playlist. Give the album a listen if you haven’t, and grab the vinyl on “vacant yellow” wax.
What to Watch This Weekend
Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza
Stream: Paramount +
Paramount Plus just dropped a three-part documentary chronicling the origin, growth, and ongoing legacy of Lollapalooza. Launched in 1991 by Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell, the Chicago festival aimed to channel the spirit of England’s Reading Festival by uniting an eclectic lineup of artists on one stage. Initially conceived as a farewell tour for Jane’s Addiction, the event quickly morphed into a vibrant new take on the music festival format.
Its legacy became a launchpad for many of the '90s most iconic bands. In 1992, Lollapalooza featured Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Tool; 1993 showcased Rage Against the Machine and Alice in Chains; and 1994 saw Green Day get their big break on the Lolla stage.
If for nothing else, watch this documentary for the cool live footage and a nostalgic trip back to the MTV days.
The Beach Boys
Stream: Disney +
Disney aims to capture the magic of The Beatles: Get Back with The Beach Boys, a new 2-hour documentary directed by Frank Marshall and Thom Zimny that premieres today.
The documentary traces the iconic band and their harmonious sound that defined the California dream, featuring never-before-seen footage and new interviews with Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, David Marks, and Bruce Johnston.
The film highlights their 60+ year career with insights from musicians like Lindsey Buckingham and Janelle Monáe. It’s at its best when exploring their competitive streak versus The Beatles, which pushed both bands to new heights.
However, the second half feels rushed, glossing over key moments and skipping some of their best later-era music. A miniseries format would’ve allowed for a deeper, more thorough storytelling. Despite its flaws, The Beach Boys is still a solid introduction for those interested in the band's legacy.
South Park: The End of Obesity
Stream: Paramount +
Cartman goes on Ozempic in the newest South Park special The End of Obesity, arriving on Paramount Plus today. Season 27 (!!!) of South Park kicks off in October. Kudos to co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone for delivering some of the most entertaining television for over 30 years. Trey and Matt are also busy collaborating with Kendrick Lamar for a live-action comedy dropping July 4th of next year.
Racing! Monaco, Indy 500, and the Coca-Cola 600
Stream: ESPN, NBC, FOX respectively
It’s racing Christmas this Sunday with Formula 1 in Monaco for breakfast, the Indy 500 for lunch, and the Coca-Cola 600 for dinner.
We start in Monaco, where, since 1929, race cars have zoomed through its picturesque streets, past casinos, fountains, and yachts—with yacht viewing tickets starting around $3000.
Meanwhile, almost 5,000 miles to the west, over 300,000 fans will gather at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500, known as the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. What began with Fiats and Bucks racing at 80 mph over brick now sees Hondas and Chevys hitting over 240 mph.
The nightcap is in Charlotte, where the Coca-Cola 600 will cap off the day. Built over 50 years ago, this oval was the first to extend stock car racing to a grueling 600 miles.
One brave soul, Kyle Larson, will attempt both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 in one day. Only Tony Stewart has completed the 1,100-mile double duty, which he described as brain-breaking:
“I swear to you, when we got the final 100 laps of the 600, I was hallucinating. A piece of trash flew by the car and in my mind, it looked like a pink-spotted elephant running down the back straightaway."
It promises to be an unforgettable day of racing: Monaco at 9 AM EST, the Indy 500 at 12:45 PM, and the Coca-Cola 600 at 6 PM.
What to Read This Weekend
Hoop Atlas: Mapping the Remarkable Transformation of the Modern NBA by Kirk Goldsberry
I’m recommending two books I read this week, one horrifying, one beautiful.
Let’s start with the latter. Former Grantland writer Kirk Goldsberry, known for his stunning basketball graphics, delivers outstanding data visualizations that showcase how the game has evolved over the last two decades. Here’s Exhibit A; pour some out for the midrange jumper.
Hoop Atlas is the perfect coffee table book, ideal for flipping through instead of scrolling on your phone during free throws. As we gear up for a potential Boston Celtics vs. Anthony Edwards or Luka Dončić showdown in June’s NBA Finals, this book will have you watching the game in a new light.
Nuclear War: A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen
Now for the horrifying: Nuclear War: A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen is, without exaggeration, the scariest book I’ve ever read.
Picture this: President Biden is awoken in the middle of the night with news that a missile has been launched at the Pentagon. He has just six minutes to decide on a response, likely issuing a “launch on warning” command, leading to mutual assured destruction. On that note, Happy Memorial Day everyone! :)
The book arrives at a time when the U.S. and Russia, the countries with the world's largest nuclear arsenals, are violently at odds in Ukraine, with NATO closing in. Just two days ago, the U.S. accused Russia of launching an anti-satellite weapon into space—a scenario eerily similar to that in the book.
An instant New York Times bestseller (with a movie adaptation on the way from Dune director Denis Villeneuve), Nuclear War outlines the "most plausible" doomsday scenario, detailing the first 72 minutes from the initial missile launch to the end of the world. What took humans hundreds of thousands of years to build gets zeroed out in a war that takes less than a few hours.
As Albert Einstein warned, “I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.”
Hey friend thanks for visiting! If you like what you read, forward this newsletter to someone who needs their weekend upgraded! 🙌 Enjoy the long weekend and we’ll see you next week for May’s Album a Day Club. Catch up on April here.
I would like to share this: Remembering The Men of The Vietnam War https://tinyurl.com/3eff5hyc