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Rediscovering the Netflix Hidden Gem, Everything Sucks!

Rachel Chandler
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Rediscovering the Netflix Hidden Gem, Everything Sucks!

After binge-watching practically everything new on Netflix, it’s time to cast the net backwards to rediscover old classics, beginning with the 2018 Netflix Original show, Everything Sucks!

It was a show that was largely praised at the time for its overtly wholesome content, yet it was cancelled after just the one season; Netflix’s Original Content VP, Cindy Holland, stating that, “because we were seeing a much lower completion rate of the whole season, we realized that it is very unlikely that we would be able to grow the audience, move a whole new audience through the show and have a large enough audience to justify a season two.”

However, despite it’s early cancellation, over time it has garnered a near cult-like following. Dealing with issues of mental health, commentary on LGBTQI+ issues, as well as grief and abandonment, Everything Sucks! accurately and amusingly portrayed the struggles faced by teens making their way through High School. That it did so through a diverse cast, the show is one that deserves to be firmly on people’s watchlists. 

Written by Michael Mohan and Ben York Jones (who also stars in it), Everything Sucks! is set in 1996 in the town of Boring, Oregon. Throughout the season, we follow protagonist AV Nerd Luke (Jahi Di’Allo Winston), and his two best friends Tyler (Quinn Liebling) and McQuaid (Rio Mangini), as they navigate their way through their Freshman year of High School. Quickly forming an attraction to the principal’s daughter Kate (Peyton Kennedy), Luke is thrust into a precarious situation when he takes the blame for something she did. Thus begins the season-long feud with the Drama Club, one that can only be resolved by promising to make a movie with them in it. 

Whilst this is the vague outline and Luke is “technically” the protagonist, the show isn’t afraid to meander tangentially. Everything Sucks! often works similarly to shows that have an ensemble cast as it possesses multiple offshoots of plot involving several “lead” characters.  

We follow Luke’s mother Sherry (Claudine Mboligikpelani Nako) and Kate’s father Ken (Patch Darragh) as they form a romantic relationship based upon the difficulties of being single parents, the mutually understood feeling of loss, and their lust for reliving the carefree nature of their youth. Whilst their children frolic around making a movie, falling in and out of love and generally stumbling through their formative years, Sherry and Ken are actively trying to relieve theirs. Seeing the pair sneak out to TP someone’s house, smoke a joint in the school car park, and break into the school to get their munchie fix summarises the joyous frivolity of their romance and adds an extra layer to the show. 

Ken and Sherry share a joint as part of their mission to recapture their teenage rebellion

Also present are quirky bonding moments between the AV Nerds and the Drama Club that gift the show with a similar vibe as Freaks and Geeks. Comparisons can also be drawn with Stranger Things at times, with the freshman/sophomore dynamic echoing that of Steve Harrington and the core group of kids. Whilst these comparisons have often been listed as detrimental to the show, it’s difficult to understand why. Everything Sucks! is undoubtedly reminiscent of them at points, yet its charm lies in the nuance of its main characters. Peyton Kennedy’s performance is a credit to the show, one that feels tender and understated yet powerful against the noise of the other drama unfolding across the series. To relegate the show to a ’90s Stranger Things or Freaks and Geeks does it a disservice and misleads potential viewers; there’s a beating heart to the show that gives it a unique life of its own. 

When it comes to Everything Sucks!, it would be remiss not to mention its fixation on High School romance. Perhaps its strongest narrative thread is that of the fearless and remarkably strong way in which Kate comes to accept her sexuality. The burgeoning romance between Kate and Emaline feels organic, growing steadily throughout the season. There’s a great awareness that the show has of its audience and actors; the romances feel age appropriate and the issues real, something that’s to be applauded. 

Kate and Emaline sharing a moment before the premiere of their film, ‘Intergalactic Lust’

In terms of its setting, by placing the events of Everything Sucks! in the ’90s, it allows the show to have a charming sense of nostalgia pre-built into it. There’s a charm to the bulky computers with the painfully slow dial up internet, the pagers and the VHS tapes that contribute to the fondness that’s felt for Everything Sucks!. 

The soundtrack further adds to this nostalgic haze, with features from Tori Amos, Ride, Oasis, Spin Doctors, Ace of Base, and The Cardigans to name a few.  

The use of music within the show is specifically transportive. The connection that’s felt to music as a teenager is explored in depth through Kate’s obsession with Tori Amos amongst other musical references, including a seminal nod to Oasis. In fact, episode two is titled “Maybe You’re Gonna Be the One That Saves Me” in reference to “Wonderwall”, a track that Kate claims is “kind of saving my [her] life right now”. As opposed to being jarred out of the show by such a well-known song, the effect is one of complete euphoria; the reactions of Luke and Kate recapture what it felt like to hear “Wonderwall” for the first time, something that’s nothing short of sublime. 

Other examples of the power of music within the show include watching our core group travel to Dominguez Rocks, singing along to “Beautiful Life” by Ace of Base, shown as a moment of solidarity and carefree youth. Elsewhere, Kate and Luke travel to Portland to see Tori Amos perform which  sparks a moment of self-growth and acceptance for Kate. For Kate, seeing Tori Amos and hearing her sing “Silent All These Years” ignites a need to live without shame and self-rejection. 

In its essence, Everything Sucks! is a true and humbling portrayal of High School life. There are deep and thoughtful narrative threads dealing with questions of the self and your own identity that are explored with care and real heart throughout. Its core themes of acceptance, friendship, and growing up with as much grace and fun as possible speak to the inner child in every viewer. Whilst it’s a crying shame that there will never be a follow up season, as the show truly had more to give, perhaps its better that Everything Sucks! remains a singular crown jewel. 

 

Sam Smith and Burna Boy Join Forces on New Single ‘My Oasis’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Sam Smith and Burna Boy Join Forces on New Single ‘My Oasis’

Sam Smith and Burna Boy have joined forces on a new song called ‘My Oasis’, co-written by Jimmy Napes. Listen to it below.

“This track has been a beautiful release of emotions for me during this time,” Smith said in a statement. “I’ve been a fan of Burna Boy for years now and am so happy to have a tune with him.”

The track marks the third new song from Smith this year, following the release of ‘To Die For’ on Valentine’s Day and ‘I’m Ready’, a collaborative single with Demi Lovato, back in April. Smith’s third album, originally titled To Die For, was set to be released back in May, but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“I have done a lot of thinking the last few weeks and feel that the title of my album and imminent release doesn’t feel right,” they said. “I have come to the decision to continue working on the album and make some important changes and additions.”

Burna Boy’s last full-length album, African Giant, was released last year.

A.G. Cook Announces New 49-Track Album ‘7G’

Konstantinos Pappis
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A.G. Cook Announces New 49-Track Album ‘7G’

PC Music founder A.G. Cook has announced a new 49-track (!) LP called 7G. Spread across seven discs, the album is set to arrive on August 12. Accompanying the announcement, Cook also shared a preview of the album in the form of a 7-minute megamix. Listen to it below, and scroll for the album’s cover artwork and tracklist.

Each side of the album is dedicated to a different instrument: “Drums”, “Guitar”, “Supersaw”, “Piano”, “Nord”, “Spoken Word”, and “Extreme Vocals”. In addition to a number of original tracks, 7G also includes covers of Blur, Taylor Swift, Charli XCX, The Strokes, The Smashing Pumpkins, Tommy James and the Shondells, Life Sim, and Sia. It also features vocal contributions from Chairlift singer Caroline Polachek, Tommy Cash, Hannah Diamond, and Alaska Reid.

Pre-orders for the album are now ongoing via Bandcamp. Earlier this year, Cook contributed to 100 gecs’ new remix album and helped co-produce Charli XCX’s quarantine album, how i’m feeling now.

7G Cover Artwork:

7G Tracklist:

Disc 1 – A. G. Drums
1. A-Z
2. Acid Angel
3. H2O
4. Drum Solo
5. Nu Crush
6. Gemstone Break
7. Silver

Disc 2 – A. G. Guitar
1. Gold Leaf
2. Being Harsh
3. Undying
4. Drink Blood
5. Lil Song
6. Beetlebum (Blur cover)
7. Superstar (Live at Secret Sky)

Disc 3 – A. G. Supersaw
1. Mad Max
2. Illuminated Biker Gang
3. Soft Landing
4. Overheim
5. DJ Every Night
6. Car Keys
7. Dust

Disc 4 – A. G. Piano
1. Oracle
2. Note Velocity
3. Windows
4. Feeling
5. Waldhammer
6. Polyphloisboisterous
7. Anything Could Happen

Disc 5 – A. G. Nord
1. Behind Glass
2. Oohu
3. The Best Day (Taylor Swift cover)
4. Triptych Demon
5. Official (Charli XCX cover)
6. Crimson
7. Life Speed

Disc 6 – A. G. Spoken Word
1. Could It Be
2. The End Has No End (The Strokes cover)
3. No Yeah
4. Green Beauty
5. Unreal
6. 2021
7. Hold On

Disc 7 – A. G. Extreme Vocals
1. Today (Smashing Pumpkins cover)
2. Chandelier (Sia cover)
3. Idyll (Life Sim cover)
4. Show Me What
5. Somers Tape
7. Crimson and Clover (Tommy James and Shondells cover)
8. Alright

Watch Beyoncé’s New Video for ‘Already’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Watch Beyoncé’s New Video for ‘Already’

Beyoncé has shared a new video for her song ‘Already’ featuring Major Lazer and Shatta Wale. Originally part of last year’s The Lion King: The Gift, whose deluxe edition has also just been unveiled, the track also features on her new project Black Is King. Check it out below.

The new video premiered just a few hours before the release of Black is King, a visual album based on The Lion King soundtrack and presented on Disney+, which is now available to stream exclusively on the platform. “Black Is King is an affirmation of a grand purpose, with lush visuals that celebrate Black resilience and culture. The film highlights the beauty of tradition and Black excellence,” Disney said in statement when announcing the film.

The new deluxe edition of The Lion King: The Gift also includes the previously released ‘BLACK PARADE’, an extended version of that song, and a Melo-x remix of ‘Find Your Way Back’.

Listen to Billie Eilish’s New Song ‘my future’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Listen to Billie Eilish’s New Song ‘my future’

Billie Eilish has shared a new song called ‘my future’. Produced by her brother FINNEAS, the track was written and recorded during the COVID-19 lockdown. Check it out below, along with a video animated by Andrew Onorato.

“It’s a song that’s really really personal and special to me,” Eilish wrote in a statement. “When we wrote this song, it was exactly where my head was at—hopeful, excited and a craaaazy amount of self reflection and self growth. But recently it has also taken on a lot of new meaning in the context of what’s happening in the world now. I hope you can all find meaning in it for yourselves.”

‘my future’ marks the second new track from Eilish in 2020, following her theme song for the 007 film, No Time to Die. Earlier this year, she also released the short film Not My Responsibility. Back in November, she put out the track ‘everything i wanted’. It was the first new material following the release of her debut album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, which we named one of the best pop albums of the decade.

‘my future’ Artwork:

Albums Out Today: Alanis Morissette, Fontaines D.C., Madeline Kenney, Creeper

Konstantinos Pappis
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Albums Out Today: Alanis Morissette, Fontaines D.C., Madeline Kenney, Creeper

In this segment, we showcase the most notable albums out each week. Here are the albums out on July 31st, 2020:

Alanis Morissette, Such Pretty Forks In The Road

Alanis Morissette is back with a new album titled Such Pretty Forks In the Road, out now via Epiphany/ Thirty Tigers/ RCA. The album, which was co-produced by Alex Hope (Troye Sivan, Carly Rae Jepsen) and Catherine Marks (Foals, The Big Moon), marks the alternative singer’s ninth studio album and first full-length release in eight years, following 2012’s Havoc and Bright Lights. Originally scheduled for release back in May but delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the LP includes the previously released singles ‘Reasons I Drink’, ‘Smiling’, ‘Diagnosis’, and most recently, ‘Reckoning’. ‘Smiling’ was originally written for the stage musical production of Jagged Little Pill, which made its Broadway debut at the Broadhurst Theatre in New York City last December.

Fontaines D.C., A Hero’s Death

Dublin post-punk outfit Fontaines D.C. have come through with their sophomore studio album, A Hero’s Death, via Partisan. After working with producer Dan Carey (black midi, Bat for Lashes) on their previous album Dogrel, they’ve reunited once again for this 11-track LP. Compared to its predecessor, however, A Hero’s Death is described by a press release as a more stripped-back effort with an emphasis on “spectral balladry”, taking inspiration from the likes of Leonard Cohen, The Beach Boys, and Beach House. The band previously shared the title track, described by singer Grian Chatten as “a list of rules for the self, they’re principles for self-prescribed happiness that can often hang by a thread.”

Madeline Kenney, Sucker’s Lunch

Oakland-based singer-songwriter Madeline Kenney has released her third studio album, Sucker’s Lunch, via Carpark Records. Following her Toro y Moi-produced debut Night Night at the First Landing in 2017 and its 2018 follow-up Perfect Shapes, her latest finds her working once again with Wye Oak’s Jenn Wasner (who also has an EP out today) and Andy Stack. “My experience writing these songs wasn’t easy, it was painful and difficult,” Kenney said in a statement. “I was terrified of falling in love, and as much as I’d like to write a sticky sweet song for someone, it doesn’t come naturally to me. Instead I wanted to explore the tiny moments; sitting alone in my room guessing what the other person was thinking, spiraling into a maze of logical reasons to bail and finding my way out again. When I spoke with friends about the theme of the ‘idiot’, it became apparent that everyone understood that feeling and was relieved to hear it echoed in someone else.”

Creeper, Sex, Death, and the Infinite Void

Following their critically acclaimed debut Eternity… In Your Arms, Creeper are back with their sophomore release, Sex, Death, and the Infinite Void, out now via Roadrunner Records. “The real-life time travel that music can achieve is almost supernatural,” frontman Will Gould said in a statement. “In a moment you can be transported from a bedroom in the south of England to another dimension entirely. With our latest album, we attempted to perform a similar magic.” As for the album artwork, he added that “the concept came to me when I was considering the ways I first discovered music. Both guitarist Ian Miles and I have similar stories of discovering our parents’ records. Holding in our hands these battered relics of the past, playing them for the first time and experiencing the magic of them coming to life over the speaker.”

Other albums out today:

The Psychedelic Furs, Made Of Rain; Brandy, B7; Mirah, You Think It’s Like This But Really It’s Like This; Steve Howe, Love Is.

On His Own by Paweł Franik

Modestas Mankus
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On His Own by Paweł Franik

Paweł Franik, a gifted photographer out of Warsaw, Poland, has presented a superb, individualistic series named On His Own. In this series, Franik draws attention to being content while being alone with oneself; it observes loneliness as a positive rather than a negative.

Writing about the series Franik stated “I show this loneliness as something peculiar, something entirely human. Because every one of us, whether lonely or living in a happy relationship and having their own family, everyone needs their moment of loneliness, the moment of devoting attention to just their own self, their own thoughts and reflections. We live in a world of tremendous acceleration and the constant quest for our purposes, in the world where there is no place for the proverbial “minute for one’s own self”, for the time when you could stop, talk to your own thoughts and feel the desirable harmony. From minute to minute, we outlive our lives and get lost in this rush. Would it be worth to stop and look deep in our hearts?.”

Find more work by Paweł Franik here.

Taylor Swift Unveils “cabin in the candlelight” Version of ‘cardigan’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Taylor Swift Unveils “cabin in the candlelight” Version of ‘cardigan’

Taylor Swift has unveiled what she calls a “cabin in the candlelight” version of ‘cardigan’, the single from her recently released surprise new album, folklore. The track is already a stripped-back affair, but this new version consists just of Swift’s voice, a spare guitar, and Aaron Dessner’s delicate piano, making it feel all the more intimate. Check it out below.

The new version also comes with a video compiling footage from the folklore cover shoot. Previously, Swift had shared fairytale-inspired official video for the song which she wrote and directed herself. Folklore follows her 2019 album Lover. Read our review of the album here.

A$AP Ferg Shares New Song ‘Move Ya Hips’ Featuring Nicki Minaj and MadeinTYO

Konstantinos Pappis
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A$AP Ferg Shares New Song ‘Move Ya Hips’ Featuring Nicki Minaj and MadeinTYO

A$AP Ferg has shared a new song featuring Nicki Minaj and MadeinTYO via A$AP Worldwide/Polo Grounds Music/RCA. With production from longtime collaborator Frankie P, the track marks the third collaboration between Nicki Minaj and Ferg, following the ‘Plain Jane’ remix and the Mike WiLL Made-It-assisted ‘Runnin’ from the Creed II soundtrack. Check it out below, alongside a video set in an exercise class.

Nicki Minaj, who recently announced that she is pregnant, released her last album Queen back in 2018. She also released the collaborative single ‘Yikes’ with DaBaby and Rich the Kid, as well as her much-anticipated new single with Tekashi 6ix9ine, which brought her a fair bit of backlash.

A$AP Ferg dropped his Floor Seats EP last year; a press release states that fans can expect the follow-up to that to arrive soon.

Artist Spotlight: Patricia Lalor

Konstantinos Pappis
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Artist Spotlight: Patricia Lalor

Dublin singer-songwriter Patricia Lalor was just 11 years old when she started putting out covers on YouTube, catching the attention of none other than Hozier, who called her cover of his song ‘Cherry Wine’ as “hands down, one of the best covers I’ve seen”. On top of amassing over 140K subscribers on that platform, Lalor, now 14, already has multiple EPs under he belt, with her most recent release being the mesmerising Do It Again. Drawing from a wide range of influences, she’s always trying out new sounds from one project to the next, but her poetic lyrics and evocative vocals remain at the core of her music. Her latest EP can best be described as a cross between the intimacy of bedroom pop recordings and the neurotic, intricate electronic stylings of Radiohead; opener ‘Do It Again’ untangles amid In Rainbows-esque guitars, the track’s haunting beauty amplified rather than held back by the cavernous, lo-fi production. Lalor’s ethereal harmonies and confessional lyrics stand out on the iridescent ‘Self Aware’, while single ‘Alone’ offers a more upbeat, playful slice of alt-pop that’s among her catchiest songs yet. The fact that Lalor’s songwriting is way beyond her years goes without saying – but even without considering her age, there’s no denying she’s one of most exciting up-and-comers in the scene today.

We caught up with Patricia Lalor for this edition of our Artist Spotlight series, where we showcase up-and-coming artists and give them a chance to talk about their music.

How did your musical journey start?  

Well I would like to think it all started because of my mom and her love for music. There was always good music playing in the house or in the car when I was little and that’s definitely influenced me, but my music journey probably properly started when I was around 10 and joined guitar lessons for the lols. There was no intention to “start my music career” I was just doing it for fun. The singing and writing kind of just slowly came along with learning guitar and it was all really just a thing I did cause I enjoyed it and still do. 

Who are some of your influences?

There are so so many, right now it’s artists like Radiohead, Zero 7, Florist, Broken Social Scene, Bon Iver, Beach House and Ariel Pink who inspire me. I feel like they all are really different from each other and kind of go all over the place in terms of sound but they all inspire me in different ways.  If you would have asked me a few months ago it would have been completely different, besides Radiohead and Bon Iver (and maybe Beach House) the music I’m influenced by right now compared to six months ago is really different and I feel like my music I’m writing is changing with it which is super cool. 

What’s your songwriting process like?

It’s all over the place (in a good way though). I try to write down lyrics and record voice memos when I feel like I have found a good song idea, but so far the process of looking back at song ideas I’ve had has only really worked once. I’m more of a in the moment type of gal, meaning I usually have to feel something in the moment of writing a song in order for it to end up as a good song. My song writing process is changing, it used to be me finding nice chords and putting lyrics to them, but now lyrics and chords come together. I usually write a verse (maybe a chorus) and I start producing that verse and chorus straight away without writing the rest of the song, just cause producing is a big part that I love about writing. And yea writing the ending is usually the hardest part for me for some reason, so I have to step back from listening to the song for a few weeks, then come back to it and write the ending! 

What are some of the ideas that went into the making of your new EP? 

Music wise I usually just write a whole bunch of songs and see which ones are good and release them. There’s never really a plan for them just because the music just happens. Aesthetic wise I initially went into it imagining dark images, especially for the EP covers, but then my mom and I spontaneously did the video for ‘Alone’ without a plan (but knowing I wanted stop motion) and once I edited it my ideas for what I wanted the EP to look like had all changed and I wanted the kind of scrap book look for all the videos etc. It usually works out like that, we never really have a proper plan going into it but it all works out in the end hahah. But yea very very happy with how this EP has turned out aesthetic wise, probably my favourite out of the other EPs. 

It’s already your second EP of the year! What keeps you motivated when it comes to making music?

I really don’t know dude, I just write when I feel like it and it all kind of comes out. Don’t get me wrong there has been some struggling where suddenly I haven’t written anything for ages and need to get some stuff out, but I think the music I listen to keeps me motivated to keep writing to be honest. I love writing music and I want to write music so it’s not hard to when I feel like it gladly. 

Now that the EP is out, what’s next?

I’m not sure, nothing major with corona sadly but I think just keep writing, staying inspired etc. As you can tell I’m not a very planned out person so I’m just kinda rolling with the punches here, maybe I’ll write another EP who knows! Definitely more music will be coming that’s for sure, but for now that’s the entire “plan” I have if you could even call it that.

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