May 05, 2018
APRIL: Battles Royale, Avengers, Mushrooms
by Alex Spencer
Hey there good looking!
Welcome back to the internet's leading newsletter for all things Alex Spencer.
Below you'll find my favourite things I've written and read this month, plus recommendations of music, TV and whatever else has crossed my path – including, this month, a recipe. The whole thing is split up into neat chunks, so if anything bores you can just move onto the next section.
[games]
DEAD MEANS DEAD(ish)
A couple of newsletters back, I recommended Into The Breach, a mechs-vs-kaiju tactics game. Every time you lose, the Earth falls and you're forced to abandon the entire timeline. Game over, start afresh with none of the benefits. This 'permadeath' is a common factor in many of my favourite games, but it's not always as simple as a clean slate. I spoke to the developers of Into The Breach, Spelunky, Rogue Legacy and Dead Cells to find out why they bend the rules of permadeath.
Read it here.
THERE'S A WAY OUT OF THIS GAME
Like Drake, I am cool and zeitgeisty and (occasionally) play Fortnite: Battle Royale. In case you aren't as cool and #youth as me, battle royale games are the hot new thing in games, dropping 100 players onto an island until only one is left alive. But I'm also an old man, which means I immediately thought of Battle Royale, the 2000 movie – so I went back to the source to look at what game-friendly ideas are still left on their original inspiration.
Read that here.
WORDS ON PAPER
If you want to read my words in print, then Official PlayStation Magazine continues to be scientifically the best publication available today, provided your single metric is how many Alex-penned articles it contains. Depending on whether you rush out and buy it now, or end up lollygagging, you can read my review of Attack on Titan 2 or preview of Conan Exiles, the reason I spent the start of the month in Norway. (A preview trip during which I was guilty for sending a message of "why aren't the willies available on PS4 yet?" around the developer's office.)
[comics]
THE AVENGERS HATE CHEAP TRICK, APPARENTLY
One of the things anchoring me to the aforementioned rhythm has been Avengers: No Surrender. It's Marvel's first foray (that I'm aware of) into long-form weekly comics, and it wrapped up last week. Keeping up week-to-week was great fun, and it was the perfect aperitif for Infinity War, as I wrote in a feature for CBR.
Read that here.
REVIEWS, GET YER REVIEWS HERE
The freelance lifestyle is not one given to regularity. But one of the few weekly markers I do have is the Wednesday deluge of comics. Most weeks, I'll pick something that catches my eye and review it for CBR – you can find all of those here – but recently I've been trying to expand the scope of that, dropping mini-reviews of everything notable I read on Twitter. Here's this week's edition, featuring Avengers #1, You Are Deadpool #1 and DC Nation #0.
[tv+film]
HERE'S MY CARD. IT TURNS INTO A SPONGE WHEN YOU PUT IT IN WATER.
Over on Tim+Alex, our long-term blogging projects are now in full swing. I am loving the fact I have an excuse to watch and write about a season's worth of The Simpsons every month. With Hari Kondabolu's criticism of the way the show handles race – and its weak riposte – fresh in my head, I couldn't help but look at Season 2 through a lens of race, politics and morality. But, y'know, with jokes.
Read that here.
IRON MAN 2
The other big monthly project is, of course, Tim+Alex Kill The Marvel Cinematic Universe, which is threatening to be our breakout hit. As the MCU turns 10 years old, we reach its first sequel and discuss everything from Black Widow to donut shops. The film is one of the series' most bloated entries and, accordingly, this blog leans that way too – I look forward to getting back to something lean, mean and beard-rocking next month.
Read that here.
[recs]
DIRTY COMPUTER – JANELLE MONAE
I always keep an eye for what Monae does, because she seems interesting, but with the odd exception most of her music has left me cold. Until now, dear reader. You've likely heard the Prince comparisons being thrown around, mainly because lead single "Make Me Feel" slaps you around the ears with them, and I won't deny that the influence of the Purple One runs throughout the album, but Dirty Computer is far more than a tribute act. Take "I Like That", for example, which is 100% JM – and, despite my previous reservations, is as warm and organic a song as I've heard all year. There's a moment towards the end of that track where Monae sings "I was like, damn". Not only is it utterly charming, it's basically a perfect four-word review of the entire album.
AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR
Okay, you've probably heard of this one already, but I just wanted to state for the record that Avengers: Infinity War was a huge pleasant surprise. The two previous MCU movies by the Russo Bros, Winter Soldier and Civil War, left me a lot colder than most, and with an unprecedently huge cast I was expecting to come away from Infinity War non-plussed. Reader, I was plussed. That New Yorker piece everyone's been bitching about is actually kind on point – this isn't a movie, it's a season finale for the TV show that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And in this, it's hugely successful.
Read what Tim, Imi, Mike + I had to say about here.
“IN MY VIEW” – YOUNG FATHERS
I have Tim to thank for checking this out – the album was one of his Patreon monthly recs for March. As he notes there, Young Fathers (at least in this mode, I haven't visited their back catalogue) have a lot in common with TV On The Radio. A comparison which, honestly, wouldn't have convinced me to check them out (nor would the knowledge that they won a Mercury Prize, because I'm a terrible anti-snob sometimes). But this mines the exact vein of TVOTR that I dig, appealing to something beneath the skin and making it dance whether the rest of me wants to or not. I like the song so much that, I am just now noticing, I managed to add it to my 2018 playlist twice.
Listen to it on Spotify here.
JAMES ACASTER – REPERTOIRE
Hey, stand-up comedy is a thing that I am occasionally passionate about and never really discuss. I first encountered James Acaster five years ago in a Stewart Lee support slot, and have dropped in on his gigs with decreasing frequency as I have grown old and boring. Now his last four shows – which make up one loosely connected narrative – are available on Netflix, so I don't have to leave the house to enjoy them. I think something of Acaster's charm gets lost in the transition, especially as he starts to experiment more with his audience and the space, but not enough that I'd get on a bus or [shudder] a tube instead.
Watch them on Netflix here.
[recipe]
When I started this newsletter, at the beginning of the year, I promised I'd include the occasional recipe. I have utterly failed on this front... until now! Behold:
GOAT'S CHEESE STUFFED MUSHROOMS
(makes enough for one larger-than-it-probably-should-be dinner)
-Meanwhile, get a grill (or grill/fan oven combo, if you've got one) nice and hot.
-Basically, grab a fistful of the other ingredients and jam them roughly in the mushroom's big cup-shaped bit.
-Place under the grill for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is a little browned and you're confident the mushroom is hot throughout.
Serve with a salad (I'd recommend something peppery and rocket-led, if that's your thing) and, if you can possibly gain access to it, a dollop of Amy Garvey's chilli jam.
[links]
It may not feel like it sometimes, but I am aware that I'm not the only writer in the world. Here are a few articles I've enjoyed reading this month, which you might dig too:
THE AGE OF POST-AUTHENTICITY AND THE IRONIC TRUTHS OF MEME CULTURE (Medium)
This has been doing the rounds, and I think a good portion of it is bullshit, but I reckon that's natural with something so comprehensive and wide-reaching. It attempts to tie together authenticity, fake news, irony and meme culture to explain... well, 2018 basically. You'll probably argue out loud with some parts of it, but others will lodge in your brain permanently afterwards.
WHEN STAG NIGHTS GO WRONG (The Guardian)
The article I've referenced most in conversation this month – a look at the growing number of fatalities on stags, and the cultural forces that have shaped the modern stag do. It's a big wedding year for my pals, so I've been thinking a lot about tradition and what makes a good marital-related celebration.
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW WE ENDED UP IN A CYBER DYSTOPIA, READ READY PLAYER ONE (The Verge)
Having never read or watched Ready Player One, I've never fully understood the criticism of it. This Laura Hudson article is the closest I've got, tying the book into the current state of the internet.
[lucky]
To say thank you for reading this far, here's a picture of my furry son, Lucky Spencer-Dale. Here's the little dude enjoying a small meadow, during the brief outbreak of spring:
See you next month,
Alex
Welcome back to the internet's leading newsletter for all things Alex Spencer.
Below you'll find my favourite things I've written and read this month, plus recommendations of music, TV and whatever else has crossed my path – including, this month, a recipe. The whole thing is split up into neat chunks, so if anything bores you can just move onto the next section.
[games]
DEAD MEANS DEAD(ish)
A couple of newsletters back, I recommended Into The Breach, a mechs-vs-kaiju tactics game. Every time you lose, the Earth falls and you're forced to abandon the entire timeline. Game over, start afresh with none of the benefits. This 'permadeath' is a common factor in many of my favourite games, but it's not always as simple as a clean slate. I spoke to the developers of Into The Breach, Spelunky, Rogue Legacy and Dead Cells to find out why they bend the rules of permadeath.
Read it here.
THERE'S A WAY OUT OF THIS GAME
Like Drake, I am cool and zeitgeisty and (occasionally) play Fortnite: Battle Royale. In case you aren't as cool and #youth as me, battle royale games are the hot new thing in games, dropping 100 players onto an island until only one is left alive. But I'm also an old man, which means I immediately thought of Battle Royale, the 2000 movie – so I went back to the source to look at what game-friendly ideas are still left on their original inspiration.
Read that here.
WORDS ON PAPER
If you want to read my words in print, then Official PlayStation Magazine continues to be scientifically the best publication available today, provided your single metric is how many Alex-penned articles it contains. Depending on whether you rush out and buy it now, or end up lollygagging, you can read my review of Attack on Titan 2 or preview of Conan Exiles, the reason I spent the start of the month in Norway. (A preview trip during which I was guilty for sending a message of "why aren't the willies available on PS4 yet?" around the developer's office.)
[comics]
THE AVENGERS HATE CHEAP TRICK, APPARENTLY
One of the things anchoring me to the aforementioned rhythm has been Avengers: No Surrender. It's Marvel's first foray (that I'm aware of) into long-form weekly comics, and it wrapped up last week. Keeping up week-to-week was great fun, and it was the perfect aperitif for Infinity War, as I wrote in a feature for CBR.
Read that here.
REVIEWS, GET YER REVIEWS HERE
The freelance lifestyle is not one given to regularity. But one of the few weekly markers I do have is the Wednesday deluge of comics. Most weeks, I'll pick something that catches my eye and review it for CBR – you can find all of those here – but recently I've been trying to expand the scope of that, dropping mini-reviews of everything notable I read on Twitter. Here's this week's edition, featuring Avengers #1, You Are Deadpool #1 and DC Nation #0.
[tv+film]
HERE'S MY CARD. IT TURNS INTO A SPONGE WHEN YOU PUT IT IN WATER.
Over on Tim+Alex, our long-term blogging projects are now in full swing. I am loving the fact I have an excuse to watch and write about a season's worth of The Simpsons every month. With Hari Kondabolu's criticism of the way the show handles race – and its weak riposte – fresh in my head, I couldn't help but look at Season 2 through a lens of race, politics and morality. But, y'know, with jokes.
Read that here.
IRON MAN 2
The other big monthly project is, of course, Tim+Alex Kill The Marvel Cinematic Universe, which is threatening to be our breakout hit. As the MCU turns 10 years old, we reach its first sequel and discuss everything from Black Widow to donut shops. The film is one of the series' most bloated entries and, accordingly, this blog leans that way too – I look forward to getting back to something lean, mean and beard-rocking next month.
Read that here.
[recs]
DIRTY COMPUTER – JANELLE MONAE
I always keep an eye for what Monae does, because she seems interesting, but with the odd exception most of her music has left me cold. Until now, dear reader. You've likely heard the Prince comparisons being thrown around, mainly because lead single "Make Me Feel" slaps you around the ears with them, and I won't deny that the influence of the Purple One runs throughout the album, but Dirty Computer is far more than a tribute act. Take "I Like That", for example, which is 100% JM – and, despite my previous reservations, is as warm and organic a song as I've heard all year. There's a moment towards the end of that track where Monae sings "I was like, damn". Not only is it utterly charming, it's basically a perfect four-word review of the entire album.
AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR
Okay, you've probably heard of this one already, but I just wanted to state for the record that Avengers: Infinity War was a huge pleasant surprise. The two previous MCU movies by the Russo Bros, Winter Soldier and Civil War, left me a lot colder than most, and with an unprecedently huge cast I was expecting to come away from Infinity War non-plussed. Reader, I was plussed. That New Yorker piece everyone's been bitching about is actually kind on point – this isn't a movie, it's a season finale for the TV show that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And in this, it's hugely successful.
Read what Tim, Imi, Mike + I had to say about here.
“IN MY VIEW” – YOUNG FATHERS
I have Tim to thank for checking this out – the album was one of his Patreon monthly recs for March. As he notes there, Young Fathers (at least in this mode, I haven't visited their back catalogue) have a lot in common with TV On The Radio. A comparison which, honestly, wouldn't have convinced me to check them out (nor would the knowledge that they won a Mercury Prize, because I'm a terrible anti-snob sometimes). But this mines the exact vein of TVOTR that I dig, appealing to something beneath the skin and making it dance whether the rest of me wants to or not. I like the song so much that, I am just now noticing, I managed to add it to my 2018 playlist twice.
Listen to it on Spotify here.
JAMES ACASTER – REPERTOIRE
Hey, stand-up comedy is a thing that I am occasionally passionate about and never really discuss. I first encountered James Acaster five years ago in a Stewart Lee support slot, and have dropped in on his gigs with decreasing frequency as I have grown old and boring. Now his last four shows – which make up one loosely connected narrative – are available on Netflix, so I don't have to leave the house to enjoy them. I think something of Acaster's charm gets lost in the transition, especially as he starts to experiment more with his audience and the space, but not enough that I'd get on a bus or [shudder] a tube instead.
Watch them on Netflix here.
[recipe]
When I started this newsletter, at the beginning of the year, I promised I'd include the occasional recipe. I have utterly failed on this front... until now! Behold:
GOAT'S CHEESE STUFFED MUSHROOMS
(makes enough for one larger-than-it-probably-should-be dinner)
- 2x Portobello mushrooms
- Stick of goat's cheese
- Handful of sundried tomatoes, chopped
- Handful of black olives, chopped
-Meanwhile, get a grill (or grill/fan oven combo, if you've got one) nice and hot.
-Basically, grab a fistful of the other ingredients and jam them roughly in the mushroom's big cup-shaped bit.
-Place under the grill for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is a little browned and you're confident the mushroom is hot throughout.
Serve with a salad (I'd recommend something peppery and rocket-led, if that's your thing) and, if you can possibly gain access to it, a dollop of Amy Garvey's chilli jam.
[links]
It may not feel like it sometimes, but I am aware that I'm not the only writer in the world. Here are a few articles I've enjoyed reading this month, which you might dig too:
THE AGE OF POST-AUTHENTICITY AND THE IRONIC TRUTHS OF MEME CULTURE (Medium)
This has been doing the rounds, and I think a good portion of it is bullshit, but I reckon that's natural with something so comprehensive and wide-reaching. It attempts to tie together authenticity, fake news, irony and meme culture to explain... well, 2018 basically. You'll probably argue out loud with some parts of it, but others will lodge in your brain permanently afterwards.
WHEN STAG NIGHTS GO WRONG (The Guardian)
The article I've referenced most in conversation this month – a look at the growing number of fatalities on stags, and the cultural forces that have shaped the modern stag do. It's a big wedding year for my pals, so I've been thinking a lot about tradition and what makes a good marital-related celebration.
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW WE ENDED UP IN A CYBER DYSTOPIA, READ READY PLAYER ONE (The Verge)
Having never read or watched Ready Player One, I've never fully understood the criticism of it. This Laura Hudson article is the closest I've got, tying the book into the current state of the internet.
[lucky]
To say thank you for reading this far, here's a picture of my furry son, Lucky Spencer-Dale. Here's the little dude enjoying a small meadow, during the brief outbreak of spring:
See you next month,
Alex