CUTTING DEEP
After deleting her social media accounts and going radio dark in early 2019 (which makes my overly-online brain incredibly jealous), indie singer-songwriter Mitski has reemerged with a new tune, "Waiting for the Knife." The extremely on-brand single finds the singer wrestling with her usual anxieties about what exactly she's doing with her life ("I cry at the start of every movie / I guess 'cause I wish I was making things, too") set to a soundscape of delicate electropop with big contorting guitar chords; not dissimilar to those found on her last album Be the Cowboy (the best album of 2018). The music video for the song incorporates some of the alluring slow-burn dramatic interpretive dance that became a signature of her last touring cycle. (SETH SOMMERFELD)
COZY CATS
Although released last year, printing delays meant I wasn't able to secure a copy of the adorable cats-and-quilts board game Calico ($40) until recently. (Uncle's Games' waitlist for the win!) After that long wait, I plan to break out this cozy, tile-laying, puzzle game all winter long. In Calico, the goal is to create a snuggly quilt on your player board with colorful, patterned hexagonal tiles, or quilt patches. As you do, you'll also try to complete several game objectives, such as placing three-of-a-kind tiles adjacent, and "attracting" cats to your colorful quilt to score points. Calico's beautiful artwork, straightforward rules and tactile quality combine for a wonderful, all-ages board game experience — one to be especially appreciated by fellow cat lovers. (CHEY SCOTT)
THIS WEEK'S PLAYLIST
SAID THE WHALE, Dandelion. Tough to top these Vancouverites' upbeat poppy rock. Like dandelions, every time you try to pluck one of their catchy ditties from your head, a dozen grow back.
ELTON JOHN, The Lockdown Sessions. We all said we should be productive in pandemic downtime. Elton John actually was, with an album of collabs featuring Stevie Wonder, Lil Nas X, Brandi Carlile, and more. That jerk.
MEGA RAN, Live '95. The nerdcore video game rapper turns jock jammer with an album inspired by Michael Jordan's Bulls, Michigan's Fab Five and other '90s basketball highlights. (SETH SOMMERFELD)
