Good evening fair people! Are you surprised to see us here at this hour? Something really weird is in the air, don’t know if you guys are feeling it too, but I’m ready for anything at this point. God has done everything in his power to beat us down this week but our will to make it through is made of steel.
Today is still a good day because my stomach is full of tres leches cake and anything that contains condensed milk is god-tier food. I had a slice at a Cuban restaurant last night and it was one of the most delicious cakes I’ve ever had…literally tasted like something they would hand you as you step through the gates of heaven. Soaked sponge transcending me beyond the limits of the physical world! With a heavy whipped cream topping! It was so decadent and dairy-full, and reminded me of how good that biscuit with cream looks in Aristocats. Right?
Creme de la Creme a la Edgar. You guys remember? As a child I had convinced myself that this was the most amazing treat I would never be able to try. Wish I could call in sick tomorrow and spend the whole day dunking cookies. Sophie and I just watched a Disney short from 1935 called “The Cookie Carnival” about a sad and lowly biscuit that goes on to become the beautiful Cookie Queen of the parade. She’s got a little cookie man that makes her a whole new ballgown out of icing! Never settle.
This is my blessing to you to go forth and eat something incredible and delicious. Say yes, yes, YES to the world!
We’re all just out here looking for our sexy biscuit….Sigh Lmaoooo - S
Other Stuff
With things heating up, most of the content I’m drawn to as of late has been complementary to the warm weather. Here’s a sampling for your consumption:
Something to Watch: Mississippi Masala (1991)
Mississippi Masala is centered on an Ugandan-Indian family that was forced out of their home as part of the 1972 expulsion of the Uganda’s Asian citizens. They eventually relocate to Mississippi, where the daughter falls in love with Denzel Washington. The movie flew under the radar during its initial release but has been re-entering public interest lately due to its similarity in theme to Minari and its approaching thirtieth anniversary. I watched it for the first time back in high school because I saw screen caps of it on Tumblr (lol) and am planning on revisiting this week because of its summer setting and the sweet story of love and cultural identity. It’s not on any of the main streaming services, but you can watch it on YouTube!
Something to Listen to: This cover of “Juicy Fruit” I found on a lovers rock show.
Something to be Disappointed Over: The new little blue ‘actively listening’ indicators on Spotify’s recent update, because they look like notifications and stress me out.
Something to Eat:
MANGOOOOOOO
Announcement
Hi hi HI we are very excited this week to announce that we are finally making T-SHIRTS!!!!! We plan on having them available in a variety of sizes for everyone so get PUMPED!! Jess and I made this design together, and we are very happy about it.
You could help us out in our ordering by taking this NONCOMMITTAL, ANONYMOUS survey on your t-shirt size preference: T-Shirt Size Pref Survey
We’re planning on doing a few different color treatments and will let you guys know once they’re available!!
We are so happy to share our good friend EOIN’S contribution this week. He wrote about some of his favorite movie scores! I really enjoyed reading this and can’t wait to listen to all of these songs as I do my work this week…thanks so much Eoin! - Sophie
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Hi Sophie & Jess - longtime fan, first-time contributor, I miss you dearly my friends.
This week I am very excited to share some of my favorite movie scores. I initially got into scores hosting my radio show The Skinny Jean Committee at Ole Miss. I’d talk over scores during speaking sections of my show, and absolutely loved creating atmosphere with these tracks. My love of scores compounded listening to Drifter’s Sympathy, a podcast hosted by Emil Amos. Emil does an incredible job charting the history and trajectory of scoring. Drifter’s Sympathy lays bare what makes scores magically strange introducing the audience to a world of rare and haunting tracks.
Emil is the master but I’m going to try my hardest to keep up pace with him here. Below please see my five favorite tracks at the moment, and the reasons why I love them.
Local Hero Mist - Covered Mountains
Local Hero is a 1983 film by Scottish director Bill Forsyth staring Peter Riegert as Mac – a midlevel oil executive from Houston sent to a remote Scottish seaside village to secure the towns land for a future oil refinery.
Local Hero may sound a bit dry, but it ultimately descends into chaos and comedy, holding a magnifying glass up to the absurdity that comes with administration and bureaucracy. At the risk of sounding cliché Local Hero essentially asks, “what if a Kafka story was happy ☺?”. Mac’s boss is obsessed with astronomy and is more concerned with Mac’s charting of the Scottish sky then securing land for the refinery. The track Mist Covered Mountains plays as Mac grasps the beauty of his situation, starting as a traditional Scottish melody but evolving into what sounds like an aurora borealis by the Scottish sea put to song. For me personally the whole movie and this track in particular feels like a day at the spa for my brain.
Manhunter is a 1986 film by Michael Mann starring William Petersen as Will Graham - an FBI agent known for his ability to place himself within criminals’ minds, Graham is reluctantly pulled back in the game to track down one last serial killer. Manhunter features a standout performance from Succession’s Brian Cox as Hannibal Lector and is a surprise sleeper hit prequel to Jonathan Demme’s 1992 Silence of the Lambs.
Manhunter is cool as ice, a movie where grizzled detectives stare out at the pacific or lonely skylines contemplating settling the score. Manhunter a pure battle of the wits but it might as well be an all-out coolness competition wrapped up in legendary midnight pulp. Graham’s Theme is a must hear, if you’re a fan of driving around at night imagining some sense of purpose beyond your grasp this song is a must add to the playlist.
The Bounty is a 1984 film by Roger Donaldson starring Mel Gibson as Fletcher Christian – a man forced to lead a mutiny by the increasing madness of his captain William Bligh played by Anthony Hopkins. The Bounty is the fifth adaption of the 1787 true story, and I honestly don’t quite understand why filmmakers were so deeply captivated with undertaking the tale. The Bounty, 1984 is a bit long and full of jargon but if you like looking at the ocean and love good scores it’s worth your time.
The above video is a mega mix of all music composed for The Bounty by Greek electronic legend Vangelis. The mix features decomposing keys which sound like their echoing and reverberating notes played in a pirate bar in 1787 magically captured by Vangelis using some unknown technology. The next time you find yourself starring out at any sort of water trying to center yourself I highly recommend listening to this mix to help set the mood.
The Untouchables - Al Capone
The Untouchables is a 1987 film by Brian DePalma starring Kevin Costner as Elliot Ness - a prohibition officer pit directly against Al Capone played by Robert DeNiro. Full transparency I didn’t love this movie by any stretch. Al Capone’s Theme and its accompanying scene are truly my favorite parts of the film. Al Capone’s theme has the aura you think of when you think of prohibition Chicago, Morricone expertly captures the ritzy old Chicago vibe. Once Al Capone’s synths kick in you really feel lavish – I listen to this song when I want to feel confident. Ennio Morricone is a soundtrack legend so mentioning his work is an absolute must.
This last one is cheating because it’s not actually from any movie and I took it directly from Drifter’s Sympathy, but it’s been my top listened to song the past three years in a row and it might as well be score music. On second thought Green Desert technically is score music, it was in an episode of Stranger Things according to Wikipedia, but I don’t really know if I count that, and it’s honestly deserving of a way better show / movie (no offense to the stranger things headz or to the stranger things kids if they’re reading). Green Desert is intense, foreboding, ever evolving, mysterious, brooding, meditative, and exciting. Sitting at just under 20 minutes it’s a bit of a demanding listen, and I fully understand if you decide to tune it out before it’s finished, however if you give it your patience and full attention you feel like you have an ear up to an alternative universe. I absolutely love reading while listening to this song.
Sophie, Jess, and the dear Daily Enjoy readership, I truly appreciate the opportunity to share, and I really appreciate the cathartic experience of writing down why I listen to these scores obsessively. If you ever want to talk movies or scores, follow me on movie review app Letterboxd @eoinmckenna.
Thank you!
Your friend,
Eoin
Thank YOU, Eoin, for such an incredible list! It’s just what I needed! We really appreciate you sharing and can’t wait to listen to these. —Jess
Hello everyone! What’s going on today?
Obligatory 6th grade student comment section from the week… <3 So pure
This week I’m feeling nostalgic and sentimental about so so many things. I think it was sparked by not only my period, but also by attending my sister’s college graduation dinner celebration. Exciting, yet bittersweet!!
NOT to make it ALL ABOUT MYSELF, but being in the college campus environment, I couldn’t help but be reminded of my own days in college which are actually not as recent as I keep fooling myself into thinking they are… the excitement of planning for the future, “new beginnings”, “fresh starts” and ….(as one of my favorite murals says)…
WHAT IS AND WHAT CAN BE
I know I’ve mentioned that quote a lot in this newsletter, but it’s always a good reminder for me to imagine future possibilities. On my way out of town, I listened to someone’s last college radio show of their semester. Then, I was on such a deep nostalgia trip, I decided to stop in Charlottesville (where I went to school) on the way back, to drive by all the old, sentimental spots in town I used to spend time or live. Wow. I was struck by the slightly unsettling feeling of of seeing other people living their lives, and walking around in a place that used to feel so familiar in my own life. It felt good but sad! I felt good but sad.
I know the experience of going to college may not be universally relatable or even a happy memory for some. For me, I think it was significant in that it was the first time in my life I really felt like I could explore who I was outside of my hometown/family and find a community of people I connected to.
I love the idea of possibilities, of mystery, that we don’t know what’s next or what’s coming up in our lives. I love the excitement and the fear behind that, an extremely conflicting feeling overwhelming me all at the same time, specifically this past week. I don’t really have anything else to say other than that this week, it’s all a little disjointed. I’m feeling really confused lately. So I’m saying to myself “Yes it’s OK you are OK you are on the earth and it’s going to be OK”.
Thanks for your patience this week with my emotional thought dump. <3
Love Sophie
My recommendations this week:
I do feel a bit like a broken record with the recs, because I’m so loyal to my media sources…addictions? Anyhow…
I’m always so happy to listen to one of my favorite podcasts, En(ba)by!! It’s refreshing to listen to others share joy with each other, and also tackle heavy topics with grace and wisdom. This recent episode in particular really affected me, I appreciated the honest emotions shared here and connected to the conversations. I highly recommend!!!! : - ) (I added the episode bio for more info)
Anthony Veasna So /N+1/ “Baby Yeah” a beautiful piece of writing that I devoured in one sitting, it’s a writer’s tribute to his dear friend from his grad school program, it’s very emotional and fits my nostalgic theme today.
This article (New Yorker) is a book review/meditation that centers on Home Economics as a course but explores the loaded history behind a class that teaches work like cooking, sewing, cleaning—work that has largely remained unseen to some. Important and relevant to discuss! I’m curious about this quote:
Dreilinger thinks family and consumer sciences should change its name back to home ec—“home” is more inclusive than “family”—and be made mandatory in schools. It always benefits something or someone—an institution, an ideology, a spouse—“when housekeeping and caretaking are invisible,” she maintains; teaching those formally to kids of all genders in school is a way to make them visible. (For example, though the percentage of men who do some food preparation and cleanup each day increased from thirty-five per cent to forty-eight per cent between 2003 and 2019, according to the American Time Use Survey, they still do less than women, seventy per cent of whom engage in those tasks each day.)
This song from the recent movie Nomadland has affected me!
Lastly, I started watching Steven Universe and Avatar the last airbender….I’m hooked!! Send your fave animated show recommendations please!
Jess and Sophie