The House is Burning, Luca, and This is How You Lose the Time War
Featuring an interview with Ace Evans.
Welcome to the fifty-ninth installation of The Q : your one-stop weekly newsletter of culture recommendations.
Album
The House is Burning by Isaiah Rashad
It’s been five years since the world has heard from Isaiah Rashad, and in those five years, the music landscape has shifted underneath him. For context, the albums Blonde, Lemonade, and The Life of Pablo came out five years ago in 2016, but Rashad has never been one to rush. He has built a career on creating a vibe for the world to ride on, and on his newest project, he continues this trend with a few notable differences. The House is Burning sounds like a project that has spent years stewing, and as a result, comes out with the kind of flavor that can only be crafted by time.
Film
Luca directed by Enrico Casarosa
Luca is a movie that is easy to like. Its protagonists are fascinated by the world and approach it with a naivety that bulldozes all of life’s invisible barriers. Luca and Alberto see nothing but infinite possibilities — all the types of pasta they have yet to eat, cliffs they have yet to jump off, and stars they have yet to touch. But it’s not the characters themselves that take Luca beyond a cutesy Pixar story — it’s their malleability and willingness to change.
Book
This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
Most people don’t expect to find poetry in their science fiction stories, but Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone have decided to dismiss expectations entirely in their epistolary novel, This is How You Lose the Time War. The book was initially pitched to me by a friend as “enemies-to-lovers time-traveling lesbian super spies” — a premise that instantly had me hooked — but to only describe it that way does a disservice to everything else it contains.
Playlist
Fafa’s “Little of Your Love” features Remi Wolf, The Pharcyde, and Outkast
Fafa’s favorite track: “Waiting for You” by The Aces
Description: “‘Be more upbeat,’ they said.”
Podcast
Episode #54: Blue Raspberry Slushie and an Interview with Ace Evans
On this week's episode, Sam and Teresa interview Ace Evans over a cup of blue raspberry slushie. Ace is an artist and recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. His paintings combine color and texture to describe memories, experiences, and emotions, culminating in the convergence of calm and chaos. Ace talks to Teresa and Sam about the importance of pivoting, his inspirations, as well as the importance of texture and scale.
