With a great script that shows restraint through a series of well-edited vignettes, Vargas has made a surprising – and stellar – debut.

Cold-blooded Souled times spectrumculture.com/2026/04/22/s...

Today’s vibe:

A visually striking tale of a childhood spent during wartime and on the wrong side of history, hitting all the right emotional beats while still having something interesting to say.

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Charley Crockett goes deeper into revisionist territories, although some of the unfinished interludes may test the patience of newcomers.

What if the U.S. president demanded Brad Pitt play him in a movie about his initial foray into politics (and even worse got his way)? My review of Eagles of the Republic, a movie set in Egypt, for @spectrumculture.bsky.social.

Raise your hand if you know this album!

Another left turn from the mercurial and restless EDM bassist makes some bold choices but too often sounds like the same old thing.

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Charli XCX is memorable in Erupcja, a pleasant, albeit slight exploration of romantic possibility in Warsaw, Poland.

It may not surprise you to learn Charli XCX is a good actor. What is surprising about her new movie Erupcja is what *KIND* of actor she is. This is slight but enjoyable, a Polish riff on Before Sunrise that I also hope gets a sequel in 9 years. My @spectrumculture.bsky.social review.

Bong hit wonders spectrumculture.com/2026/04/19/g...

Where You Ben spectrumculture.com/2026/04/19/j...

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I am a sucker for a gritty prison thriller. Not only is the setting tailor-made for suspense, they are often a showcase for exciting new talent. The new movie with Wasteman is no different, with David Jonsson and Tom Blyth as mismatched cellmates. My @spectrumculture.bsky.social review.

The prepared, unprepared and transformed guitar of Hans Reichel. spectrumculture.com/2026/04/16/h...

Raye of Hope spectrumculture.com/2026/04/16/r...

Scene Report: Nearly 60 years into his career at Revolution Hall, Richard Thompson performed a 100-minute set with 19 songs spanning his storied work in front of a sold-out crowd. spectrumculture.com/2026/04/16/c...

In my ongoing series where I clearly have a pulse on the discourse, I wrote nearly 1,000 words on Antonioni's La Notte. But I through its gorgeous photography and its utter rejection of sentimentality, I still think it has a lot to tell us. My @spectrumculture.bsky.social essay.

Quick record buying advice: Gillian Welch- The Harrow& the Harvest. $27 Buy or hold? Why?

Ryders in the Sky spectrumculture.com/2026/04/15/t...

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WE BELIEVE!

WE RECOMMEND: The Spy in the Archive: by Gordon Corera In The Spy in the Archive, we see how you plan your revenge, you make your moves and you bide your time strategically before striking a devastating blow to the evil empire.

"There's a crack in the mirror" I wrote about my other favorite Genesis album on @spectrumculture.bsky.social, Abacab, and the Collins/Genesis identity crisis that lies at the center of the record. Check it out: spectrumculture.com/2026/04/14/d...

We Recommend: Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus The legendary composer’s final act is truly his magnum opus.

McKellen McKillin' it in "The Christophers." spectrumculture.com/2026/04/13/t...

I wrote about Terraform, the weird, enjoyable "difficult second album" from soft-rock one-hit wonder Randy VanWarmer for @spectrumculture.bsky.social. An album well worth your time if you find it in the dollar bins.

We revisit the interstellar moment of a '70s soft-rocker. spectrumculture.com/2026/04/13/r...

Asia Live in England is all over the map spectrumculture.com/2026/04/13/a...

The Criterion Collection thinks Killers of the Flower Moon is important enough to revisit. So do we.

Young Fresh Fellows rock (kinda) hometown Portland!

Scene Report: Tommy Emmanuel Dazzles KC. spectrumculture.com/2026/04/12/c...

Does this pairing make sense?

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I saw Hamlet at The Globe with Mark Rylance. I directed Hamlet in high school. I was obsessed with the Ethan Hawke update. I've thought about this play a lot. The best thing I can say about the terrific new Riz Ahmed version is I could feel its urgency. My @spectrumculture.bsky.social review.

WU LYF, is bigger ... bigger than LYF ... spectrumculture.com/2026/04/09/w...

Our tour of Genesis's discography enters the '80s with "Duke." spectrumculture.com/2026/04/09/d...

Canadian jazz ensemble Andrew MacKelvie's Many Worlds ponders the multiverse. spectrumculture.com/2026/04/08/a...

From the Vaults of Streaming Hell, we give you: Larry Cohen's "Special Effects"! spectrumculture.com/2026/04/08/f...

Shit, Thundercat. spectrumculture.com/2026/04/08/t...

We revisit The Album Leaf's "In a Safe Place," maybe the only album to feature both a guy from Black Heart Procession and a guy from Candlebox. spectrumculture.com/2026/04/07/r...

"Living the Land" captures a modernizing China. spectrumculture.com/2026/04/07/l...

A visit from the Goons squad: An eclectic comp looks at the Fab Four's manifold, sometimes highfalutin', non-rock influences. spectrumculture.com/2026/04/07/v...

spectrumculture.com/2026/03/26/q... Queen released their sophomore record on this day in 1974. I put together an appreciation for @spectrumculture.bsky.social about an album I admire beyond words.

"The Blue Trail": The shores of dystopia. spectrumculture.com/2026/04/06/t...

I reviewed the most recent #BoxerRebellion album for @spectrumculture.bsky.social. Spoiler alert: it’s gorgeous. spectrumculture.com/2026/04/06/t...

We revisit the irresolvable mysteries and pop-culture conspiracies of "Under the Silver Lake." spectrumculture.com/2026/04/06/r...

When it comes to thrash metal, in 'dus we trust spectrumculture.com/2026/04/05/e...