amusingourselves2death

EPISODE 18 - Tall Glass of Lemonade: An Audio Commentary

There is a lot to process when covering Beyonce's visual album "Lemonade", so we decided to do something different for this episode. For optimal listening, this audio commentary is be best played while watching "Lemonade", to hear our talk correspond to the diverse imagery and heady ideas onscreen. Also, we are forgoing the use of opening and closing music to just focus on the conversation. Beyonce's new work is a tapestry of gorgeous visuals and complex themes concerning infidelity, marriage, family, race, gender, identity, history, and politics. In particular (as has been stated in many reviews), the film is a love letter to Black women, focusing on strength and empowerment. The commentary begins at the 8:00 mark, at which point you should press play on "Lemonade".

EPISODE 17 - Your Fav is Problematic

When talking about an artist you admire, we try to separate them from some of the more monstrous aspects tied to their legacy. However, art isn't created in a vacuum and sometimes those less desirable traits make it impossible to separate the work from the creator. From pop music to cinema, classic comedy to classical art, the world is littered with very flawed people who made a massive contribution to the culture at large. In this episode, we ponder whether you can enjoy the work and maintain a guilt-free conscience (and are we ourselves monsters for doing so). Opening Music: DJ Shadow "Giving Up the Ghost Closing Music: Caribou "Dive"