Joe Goldberg is back and creepier than ever in this season of “You.” On Dec. 26, Netflix released season two of their hit psychological thriller, “You.” Season one of the show captivated the internet, sparked serious Twitter debate and inspired thousands of memes. Season two tries to recapture the magic but tries a little too hard. 

Penn Badgley (“Gossip Girl”) returns as Joe, bookseller by day and murderous stalker by night. Basically, Joe is the natural progression of Gossip Girl’s Dan Humphrey. The perfect fit for the role, Badgley is able to seamlessly switch between romantic boyfriend and creepy stalker. Without such a competent lead, the show would be much less effective.

The first season closed with Joe murdering his girlfriend, framing her therapist for the crime and publishing a book in her name detailing the entire thing. The second season opens with him fleeing New York and his past crimes to start a new life across the country in Los Angeles. 

The new setting gives Joe even more opportunities to be pretentious ­— the entire first episode is just Joe complaining about Los Angeles. You name it, and Joe makes fun of it: hot yoga, juice cleanses, selfies and dogs in strollers. He even gets a job at a satirized version of Whole Foods. 

With the new season comes a whole new cast of characters. Like in the first season, the supporting roles bring a lot to the show. Opposite to Joe is a new love interest, played by Victoria Pedretti (“The Haunting of Hill House”), who is ironically named Love. The show indulges in a few too many “Love” puns, which quickly get old, but she is a well-developed character. Pedretti has an innate likability but is also able to keep up when the show gets darker.

Love also has a twin brother, named Forty (James Scully, “Heathes”) — an intended tennis pun. Despite the unfortunate name, the former junkie and aspiring filmmaker nearly steals the show. Joe once again befriends a neighborhood youth, Ellie (Jenna Ortega, “Iron Man 3”). Replacing Paco from season one, Ellie is a little older and is a prodigious, aspiring filmmaker. Her relationship with Joe humanizes him, a contrast to the monster the viewers know him to be. 

What makes “You” so effective is the portrayal of Joe. Yes, he is insanely creepy. Yes, he stalks, spies and murders. But when he is not up to nefarious deeds, it is easy to confuse him for a regular book clerk and a likable, if somewhat nerdy, guy. This is where the horror is really driven home — it is easy to think of real life people who are just a little off, like Joe.

Up until the last half of the second season, the plot matches that of the first season beat for beat. After that the show cranks up the volume and gets even darker and more twisted than season one. A vindictive ex makes an appearance, dark pasts are revealed and it turns out Joe might not be the only murderer in his inner circle. 

While “You” does make some surprising choices, it is relatively easy to figure big plot points out before they even hit. The season is a rehash of the first, taken to the extreme in every count. Once again, the season closes with a cliffhanger, teasing the possibility of a third season. But based on this season, it seems like the writers have exhausted their creativity.

With ten 45-minute episodes, “You” is a perfectly binge-able length. It is certainly not a groundbreaking series in any way and can be cringeworthy, but it is enjoyable. It is the perfect show to casually watch or have on in the background.

Greta Gerwig is the latest filmmaker to tackle the literary classic “Little Women.” Based on Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel, the film follows four sisters living in Civil War-era Massachusetts. Gerwig’s adaptation marks the seventh time the story of the March sisters has made it on the big screen, but proves that the story is still relevant. 

The successor to 2017’s highly successful “Lady Bird,” “Little Women” is only Gerwig’s second solo directorial credit. Though it only premiered on December 25th, the film, like its predecessor, has already been a critical and commercial success. 

The cast is packed full of Hollywood’s youngest, most talented and hottest actors. Soairse Ronan (“Lady Bird”), Emma Watson (“Harry Potter”), Florence Pugh (“Midsommar”) and Eliza Scanlon (“Sharp Objects”) portray the March sisters, with Timothée Chalamet (“Call Me By Your Name”) opposite as Laurie. They are joined by Meryl Streep (“The Devil Wears Prada”) as Aunt March, and Laura Dern (“Jurassic Park”) as their mother, referred to as Marmee.

Alcott’s original story is an 800 page epic divided into two parts. In the first, the sisters are children living in a quaint Massachusetts town. Their absent father is volunteering for the Union in the war, and they are cared for by their mother and maid. This is when they befriend the orphaned grandson of their rich neighbor, Laurie (Chalamet). Laurie becomes a pseudo-sibling, and readers follows the group’s youthful shenanigans. 

In the second half of the film adaptation, it is seven years later and the sisters have dispersed. Living in New York City and trying to make a name for herself as a writer is the narrator, Jo (Ronan). The eldest March sister, Meg (Watson), unexpectedly married down to a poor school teacher and is still in Massachusetts. Also living at home is Beth (Scanlon), who is a musical talent but suffers from a serious illness. The youngest sister, Amy (Pugh), is in Paris with the rich Aunt March (Streep), learning to paint, but more importantly finding a rich husband. 

Gerwig’s version tells the story in a nonlinear fashion. The dual timelines are a bit confusing at first, as they take place seven years apart, yet the actors fail to age. After the initial shock, the contrast makes many classic plot points more poignant. 

The two eras are also differentiated by lighting and feel. When the girls are young the movie is golden and warm. It feels cozy and familiar, but also magical and fairytale-like. In the second half, the lighting is no longer yellow, but a stark white. The surroundings are unfamiliar, and everything is complicated and feels real.

The film is beautiful. Whether it is set in a Parisian garden, the Massachusetts coast or the March’s modest colonial home, every frame could be a painting. But what really makes this movie something special are the relationships. It is impossible to walk away from this movie without wishing to be a March sister. Not only is Gerwig’s script conversational and familial, the actors’ chemistries  are undeniable. 

Integral to Alcott’s novel are the feminist themes. Classically, each of the March sisters leads a different life, and through each of them, the few options a woman had at the time are explored. Gerwig updates this for the 21st century. 

Using words Alcott herself spoke, Ronan’s Jo cries, “Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they’ve got ambition, and they’ve got talent, as well as beauty, and I’m so sick of people saying that love is just all a woman is fit for. I’m so sick of it.” Critically, she adds to Alcott: “But I’m so lonely.” 

Some viewers might not see this movie because they have not read the book. Others might be put off by “women” being in the title. Unfortunately, they will miss out because “Little Women” has all of the makings of an instant classic.

Few artists attain the consistent success Post Malone has been able to sustain since his debut in 2015. He is on the radio, he is in blockbusters like “Spiderman,” and he blares through the speakers at every frat party in the U.S. Despite all this exposure, Malone’s songs rarely feel overplayed.

His newest musical effort, “Hollywood’s Bleeding” is no exception to this success. The album, which came out on Sept. 6, debuted at number one on Billboard’s charts, and so far has five songs that peaked in the top 5.

“Hollywood” is Malone’s third studio album. Though the tracklist is a lengthy 17 songs long, the songs are short, and the full listen time comes in at just under an hour. The album flows well during a listen through. It continues his signature style of blending genres and shows off his artistic and vocal range. Songs like “Saint-Tropez” and “Enemies” blend rap and emotional singer/songwriter vibes; others like “Allergic” and “A Thousand Bad Times” are certainly pop “bops;” later in the tracklist he turns into an alternative rock frontman in “Myself.”

Like any traditional rap album, the tracks of “Hollywood” feature a myriad of other artists. Post Malone brings on expected collaborators, but then mixes it up with a surprising but incredible feature by Ozzy Osbourne on “Take What You Want.” The song is one of the most memorable Post Malone has come out with to date; its mix of Osbourne’s classic rock, Travis Scott’s modern rap and Malone’s melancholic vocals is perfectly balanced.

That is not to say Malone’s other guests are not notable. In another unexpected feature, SZA joins Malone and brings an ethereal touch to “Staring at the Sun.” In a dual collaboration, Future and Halsey come in on “Die for Me,” and give song-saving performances in a classically brooding Post Malone song. When up-and-coming artist DaBaby gets his turn on “Enemies,” he does not waste a second of it and delivers a great verse. It is not just the vocal contributions that spice this album up, there are some surprising writing credits: Kanye co-wrote “Internet’” and Father John Misty co-wrote “Myself.”

That being said, Post Malone does just fine on his own. Most of the songs are solo endeavors, which highlights his artistic range and his ability to go from crooning to rapping in the same track. Few artists can pull this off, and this continues to be a hallmark of Malone’s success.

When giving the album a listen, do not expect anything thematically new from Malone. Most of the tracks are melancholic and are about fake friends, a lonely city or girls who never appreciated him enough, gave him enough attention or do not love him enough anymore. Still, while his lyrics and ideas might not always be the most creative, his delivery always saves the day. “Hollywood’s Bleeding” is just another Post Malone album. While it is definitely not anything new or revolutionary, it is catchy, it is listenable and it is a generally solid album.

Music festivals are a dime a dozen in the summer. Atlanta hosts quite a few of its own, but one of the most low-key offerings is the Candler Park Music and Food Festival. This year the two day festival kicked off on Friday May 31. Tickets for the entire festival only run about $40 after fees. 

The vibe of the festival was distinctly laid-back, making it unique to any other major music festival in the city. Festivals like Music Midtown and Shakybeats are full of attendees trying to have the wildest time they can, and as a result those festivals have a frantic feel to them. It is impossible to be fully conscious of everything that is going on when one is always worrying about missing out on something. 

The festival at Candler Park is very much the opposite. There is only one stage, so everyone at the festival is in it together. The crowd is not pushy, making it easy to weave through it to a spot with a good view of the stage. Groups of people always dancing, others talking, and others were even sprawled on blankets in the crowd, picnic style. 

This year’s lineup was wonderfully eclectic; the featured genres included reggae, alternative, bluegrass, folk and indie.  

One of the best performances of the weekend was Stephen Marley’s. These days, few people have ever been to a reggae concert, and most have probably never even considered it. Marley’s set was so much fun one would have trouble not falling in love with the genre. 

For the most part, Marley did not even move around, instead just sitting in the center of the stage with his hand drum, belting out his tunes. His band, on the other hand were kinetic and lively, and clearly had a good time listening and dancing to Marley’s music too. And yes, Stephen Marley is the son of Bob Marley.

Headlining the first night of the festival was Greensky Bluegrass, an aptly named bluegrass group. As the sun had set, the crowd seemed to find a little more energy, and the band capitalized on that. Their music, though all acoustic, was full of energy and very banjo forward. They strummed away and the crowd loved it. Greensky is almost exactly what comes to mind when one thinks of a bluegrass band — large men with long hair and country twangs. 

Dr. Dog’s performance was the highlight of the second day, and that show alone was worth a trip from Tech’s campus to Candler Park. The group has been around for twenty years, and in that time they have had some notable indie-rock hits. Their music’s themes are sometimes heavy and emo-ish but the melodies are always upbeat and fun to dance to, which the crowd definitely did. Most notable about their set was the sense of camaraderie between band members and the easy rapport they kept up with the audience. They managed to make the small festival feel even smaller and more personal. 

In the empty spaces between sets, there was still plenty to do within the confines of the festival. Near the entrance there was an artist’s market, selling the work of local artists, jewelry, clothing, and even records. The crowd of attendees were the perfect market for these vendors, and the lines reflected that. Closer to the stage there were classic lawn games like cornhole, alongside giant versions of childhood favorites like connect four. 

Staying true to the festival’s name, there were about two dozen food trucks off to the side, overing everything from classic hot dogs, to Indian street food, to pickles. There were even some Tech favorites at the event, including Bento Bus and Yumbii. There were also bar tents everywhere, but would-be attendees beware — within the confines of the festival a beer will cost nine dollars. 

Most festival-goers at Candler were older millennials. This really seemed to separate it from most other festivals in the area, which tend to attract a slightly younger crowd, and probably also had a hand in creating the refreshingly laid back vibe. 

Overall, Candler Park Music and Food Festival is a great way to spend a weekend. Anyone looking for an opportunity to hear some great music in a relaxed atmosphere and not break the bank should definitely check it out when it comes around next year. 

South African siren Alice Phoebe Lou’s debut american tour made a stop in Atlanta on Monday, March 11. The audience she drew to the Vinyl at Center Stage Theater in the arts district was small, but the show was lively. Lou did not disappoint — she put on a warm and intimate show. 

Her latest album “Paper Castles” came out just before the performance, but already has the makings of a popular indie-folk album. Mixing a warbling voice with hypnotic music and techno-like sound effects, Lou is able to create a sound unlike any other. She played several songs from this album in addition to older songs and even an Angel Olsen cover.

Lou’s presence was bold and unique. Blue and green plaid pants are rarely paired with a Batman baseball cap, neither of which are normally worn with a lacy lingerie bodysuit. Top this look off with a makeup-free face and waist-length blonde hair and it is unmistakable that Alice Phoebe Lou is not on stage for anyone but herself. 

Her free-spirit vibe is echoed in her dancing and movements, too. Lou began the show in a button up shirt, standing only at the mic, with only subdued movements. With each song she warmed to the crowd, and her body language became more open. Finally at one point she took off the button up and started dancing around the stage with jerky, fun movements. Like with her unconventional outfit, the only purpose of the dancing was for her own enjoyment.

As the show opened, Lou hoped to make it a “cozy night” for her crowd, a sentiment that was reiterated several times throughout the show. She also ended every song with a quick “thank you for listening,” making an already intimate show seem even more personal. She also mentioned a few times how tight the budget was for this tour. Her and her band are couch surfing across the country, and she was nervous if her Atlanta connection would come through ­— don’t worry, they did. She may come accross as a little awkward, but it is certainly endearing. 

Barring these short comments, Lou’s only other engagements with the crowed were almost soliloquies. In one she discussed where she feels she is as an artist right now, how she only wants to play what feels right in the moment. She apologized if any fans didn’t get to hear a song they had hoped to but she “needed to be true to the artist within.” 

In another she talked about feminism, and how she was sick of being told how to look, act, move, and be as a woman. This preceded a performance of one of her songs, “Skin Crawl,” which contains much the same sentiment. 

Though she sings with incredible range and emotion, Lou’s live voice sounds sightly adolescent and underdeveloped. Songs that sound ethereal and have a Florence Welch-like vibe on Spotify didn’t quite cast the same spell live. Her voice just comes off a little too breathy. 

The crowd was incredibly diverse and full of characters, especially notable in the small venue. Front and center in the crowd was a middle-aged father and his eight-year-old son. The boy didn’t take his eyes off the performance the whole time. In the back of the theater a barefoot man danced in a manner remarkably similar to irish step dancing. A woman in the front right of the crowd was in absolute ecstasy. Alice Phoebe Lou must be her favorite artist, as she was almost crying tears of joy at one point, was singing along to every word and admantaly thanked Lou after every song. 

For a ticket price that was less than a typical meal out in Midtown, the show was definitely worth it. A fun time all around, from the venue, to the crowd, to the performance. Alice Phoebe Lou knows exactly what kind of show she wants to put on, and nothing and no one is ever going to stop her from doing it.

Featuring a pair of middle-aged besties, and coming all the way from New Zealand, Netflix’s latest original release “Breaker Upperers” is wildly unpredictable.

Self proclaimed life partners, Mel and Jen are small business owners. For a small price of a thousand dollars, they will end any relationship with a wacky scheme. Their break up plots range from impersonating police offices, to staging affairs. Quirky accents, ridiculous costumes, and heartfelt moments make this movie a thoroughly enjoyable watch. 

Directors, screenwriters, and stars Jackie van Beek (“What We Do in the Shadows”) and Madeleine Sami (“Super City”) shine in this film. This is Sami’s directorial debut and van Beek’s third directorial credit. One of the strongest aspects of Breaker Upperers are the characters; Sami and Van Beek created and portrayed women who were well-rounded and relatable, while still being on the edge of satiric. Their writing is on point; the dialogue is witty, quick and conversational, the humor extremely layered. 

In an era where female directors, stars and writers are starting to become more commonplace, this movie is a prime example of what can come from giving voices to all creators. It provides a raw look at what female friendship is, in a completely unromanticized light. There are fights, awkward moments, crude jokes and most of all ugly laughs. Rarely is a female relationship portrayed in such an honest unedited manner. 

Van Beek’s Jen is stone-cold, too scarred from a past relationship to pursue any human connection. Sami’s Mel is an athletic and charismatic bisexual, who is easy going and fun in every way Jen is not. 

The two’s friendship and business began two decades ago when they discovered their shared boyfriend was two-timing them. Since then they have been inseparable life and business partners.                                

All of the side characters are hilarious. Jen’s parents are the extreme of a rich white retired couple, living out their last years in coked-out luxury. Mel’s lover is a dumb millennial, who thinks only in emojis. Their intern is a quiet shell of a woman, who barely leaves any impression at all. 

“Breaker Upperers” has a perfect balance of humor and second-hand embarrassment. There is enough embarrassment to make the viewer look away, but enough humor to keep them engaged. At several points — one involving an 80s-inspired music video — the film is laugh-out-loud funny. The movie’s fresh perspective mixed with the kooky-offbeat humor — a product of the filmmakers’ New Zealand roots, perhaps — makes the film something wholly original and unlike anything currently on Netflix.

While the plot is a formulaic rom-com, a platonic twist keeps it fresh and makes the whole premise seem new. Cliched tropes are funny instead of tired when applied to Mel and Jen. The two main characters even make up in a choreographed group dance number. The movie is certainly nostalgic, but this only adds to an already humorous movie; it does not rely on nostalgia to be enjoyable or funny, a pitfall many Hollywood comedies have today. 

The movie is delightfully detailed, painting a humorous New Zealand that is just foreign enough to be unique, but familiar enough to be relatable. This is currently by far one of the best Netflix original films out, and is a must watch. 

This year’s Super Bowl was decidedly underwhelming; it was low scoring, had a predictable outcome and living in the host city was a logistical nightmare. Usually, viewers can at least count on the commercials to incite a chuckle. Advertisers spend millions for one minute, and they usually make every second count. This year, many failed in the humor department, but were still enjoyable in other ways, while others were just plain bad. 

The best ads of the year came from a variety of sources and fit into several different categories.

Many commercials this year went for a more serious tone. One that stood out in this group was the Washington Post’s ad, “Democracy Dies in Darkness.” Narrated by Tom Hanks, the commercial is a tribute to journalists who put everything on the line to inform the general population. It highlights the importance of freedom of press, and mourns deceased journalists, including Jamal Khashoggi. In an age of thought bubbles and fake news, this ad was poignant and timely. 

Google Translate took the route of trying to inspire its customers, debuting an ad that tugged on heartstrings with “100 Billion Words.” In an increasingly global world, 100 billion words are translated each day, and this ad features some of the interactions all over the world that require translation. This commercial managed to make a world of 7 billion seem a little more accessible and a little more unified. 

The best celebrity cameo in a commercial came from Burger King’s “Eat Like Andy.” In a world of 4K Ultra HD content, anything but crystal clear television is immediately jarring. So when Andy Warhol’s unmistakable platinum head appeared on screen, fuzzy and straight out of the 70s, Burger King hit a home run. Warhol eating a plain Whopper with ketchup on the side is hard to forget, and its simplicity stands out in the decadence and in-your-face nature of all the other ads. #eatlikeandy was a success. 

The best received ad of the evening came from the game’s broadcaster itself. When the words “CBS is off the air” appeared on screen Sunday night, panic and confusion set in. Then a deserted Mercedes Benz Stadium and a suited Jordan Peele appeared on screen. The confusion was still there, but now the panic was gone. Finally, it was revealed “The Twilight Zone” was being rebooted in 2019. As the director of “Get Out,” Peele was the perfect way to announce this nostalgic hit’s return to the small screen. 

Super Bowl commercials are supposed to take it to another level and introduce something new to the game of advertising. While many of the commercials this year were so-so, a collaboration between Bud Light and HBO hit it out of the park. What started out as yet another Bud Light Knight commercial ended in flames with one of the dragons from “Game of Thrones” flying across the screen. 

On the other side of the advertising spectrum, there were plenty of ads of different types that missed the mark this year.

Turkish Airlines’ commercial was clearly supposed to be a play on an international spy movie, and was even directed by Ridley Scott (“The Martian,” “Blade Runner”). Instead, it was just a 30 second muddled confused mess full of jump cuts. At the end viewers were invited to go online and watch the rest of the short film. It is unclear what the rest of the commercial was about, or if anyone plans to try and find out. 

While the Turkish Airlines ad is confusing and unclear, it at least avoids making its viewers feel uncomfortable. That’s more than can be said of TurboTax’s commercial, which featured a weird baby android with a silicone face that falls at the very bottom of the uncanny valley. The commercial is short and to the point — TurboTax now offers human representatives, and robots could never keep up. While it gets the message across, the robot child is grating, unfunny and uncomfortable. 

Most commercials aim to entertain their audiences through humor or drama or visuals, but there are always some that manage to just be downright boring. 

T-mobile aired a commercial every quarter. They were memorable too, which is not always a good thing. Each commercial was essentially a screen recording of typical text-conversations. And at the end of each commercial there was an exorbitant offer for anyone willing to switch to T-mobile, like free Taco Bell for a year. The offers were pretty good, but the commercials brought a full stop to the excitement of the Super Bowl. 

There are always a few commercials which aim to be intentionally weird. The most notable example of this style this year was an Avocados From Mexico ad titled “Top Dog.” 

A dog-show-style competition between humans is a strange premise to start off with, even for a company that specializes in pet goods. This commercial was not even for dog food or cat toys, but for avocados. The whole advertisement was strange, as watching humans run around an obstacle course meant for dogs was more uncomfortable than funny. The duration of the commercial was spent trying to figure out just how this spectacle was in any way related to avocados.

Following the unprecedented political climate of the last few years, an entire genre of books, television shows and movies has sprung up trying to answer one question: “Wait, what just happened?” 

“Brexit: The Uncivil War” is the latest attempt at an explanation. This made-for-TV movie premiered on the United Kingdom’s Channel 4, but can be viewed in the US on HBO. 

Directed by Toby Haynes, the film follows strategist Dominic Cummings, portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch (“Doctor Strange,” “Sherlock”), as it explores the events leading up to the UK’s 2016 European Union membership referendum.

Cummings is the mastermind behind the “Vote Leave” campaign that is both wildly popular and widely controversial. The man himself is portrayed as a caustic anarchist. His motive is not to leave the EU, but to shake up a British political system that he views as broken. 

The role is not new territory for Cumberbatch, who has played the rebellious boy-genius before, notably in BBC’s “Sherlock.” While the trope of amoral visionary is now cliche, in “Brexit” it provides an apt juxtaposition to the old, greying members of parliament who wish to uphold the political status quo. 

Under Cummings’ direction, the Leave campaign is entirely algorithmic, and based on data-driven decisions; his main tool is Facebook ads. With the help of the data analytics company, AggregateIQ, Cummings constructs a database of unregistered UK voters that can likely be persuaded to vote. In addition to micro-targeting potential voters via social media, the Vote Leave campaign uses inflammatory language, false statistics, misconceptions and the unfounded fear of Turkey joining the EU to sway voters to return to “take back control” of the UK. 

Visually, the film is gray and unsaturated. While the movie is obviously plot driven, it is aesthetically boring. 

Despite this, it is still an intriguing watch. The dialogue is quick, and the acting delivers. The pacing is reminiscent of a thriller more than a political drama. As each character is introduced, the audience is informed of their name, role in the government, and which side — remain or leave — they are on. This helps unfamiliar audiences enjoy a movie that would otherwise be extremely confusing and alienating.

This film makes it clear that technology has irrevocably altered every part of human existence. Political institutions are not sacred; Cummings proves that now is the time to adapt or become irrelevant. With the 21st century, a new era of globalization has been ushered in. Modern political systems are slow and clunky. They were not created to work in a world where computers can analyze billions of bits of data, where algorithms are smarter than any human ever will be. 

Never before in human history has there been a way for fake news to be shared and liked and viewed 15 million times by people from all over the world. The Leave campaign uses this to their advantage. Egregious statements spread like fire, wild statistics are easily quotable. Cummings and his campaign bets — and wins — on the idea that no one is going to fact check a post with a million likes. Why would they? The internet never lies. 

Cummings ends the film as he begins it: frustrated with the current political system. Even though his revolution technically succeeded, the fallout did not turn out as he expected. He wanted systematic change, yet all that he facilitated was a transition of power from one established, bloated party to another, different only in name. And with that he ensured a dangerous era of social media politics, data collection and fake news. 

Although the politics of the UK and the intricacies of their political system may be confusing to American viewers, the film is an important and riveting watch within the context of the 2016 presidential elections. The parallels between Brexit and the Trump campaign draw themselves. This movie provides a poignant look at the state of western politics. It ends just as it begins, with a question: “Where do we go from here?” 

American folk singer and songwriter Greg Laswell released his latest studio album, titled “Next Time” in September of last year. The artist, who is currently on a tour in support of that release, will be playing a show at Eddie’s Attic in Atlanta on Jan. 20.

The California native recently took the time to speak with the Technique about the tour, his musical influences and other aspects of his life.  

Technique: I’ve seen you likened to Leonard Cohen. Have you been influenced by his music? Are there any other artists you draw inspiration from? 

Laswell: You see, that’s such a flattering comparison, but I honestly don’t see it. I’ve seen it used quite a few times and it’s really nice but I don’t particularly find myself listening to him a lot or drawing any inspiration from him.

Instead I find myself more influenced early on by rock artists like Peter Gabriel, Radiohead, and REM. 

Technique: So, this new album, “Next Time,” was written, performed, produced and mixed by you. How did you become so in control of the music process?

Laswell: I’ve always done records on my own, except for the last two before this. It just sort of evolved that way. I really love to do it. It means I can control every aspect and make little tweaks everywhere and try to get it as close as possible to finished. 

For this record specifically, given the subject matter, and that it was so emotional, I just sort of thought that I had to do it alone and make sure it was all mine.

Technique: That’s incredible, what kind of creative liberties does it give you? Are there any pitfalls to doing everything for an album.  

Laswell: Oh, definitely. It becomes very isolating, actually. It can get really sad. It does allows you to take more risks and make more mistakes, though, which can lead to some great songs. 

Technique: The album art from “Next Time” is really unique and original. How did it come to be? Is there any specific meaning behind it? 

Laswell: Yeah actually, it started as a derivative of the first song on the album, “Royal Empress.” My friend, Marla Frazee, who’s an artist, did it just after listening to the record, so that’s really special. It’s not just about “Royal Empress” either, it draws pieces from a lot of the songs on the record, like obviously, “Supermoon.” I really love it, though, it looks so different than all my other records. 

Technique: A lot of your songs have been featured in television shows. Is there a show you’d like to have feature a song from your newest album?

Laswell: Whoa, that’s a hard question. I don’t really watch any of the shows that use my music. I guess it’d be pretty cool to hear one of my songs on a show I really enjoy, though. Probably like an HBO show, I love watching HBO. Or, actually probably, “Killing Eve!” I’ve been watching that and it’s incredible, I think a song from “Next Time” could work well there.

Technique: You have said that “I’ve found over the years that it often takes one song, or one moment in a song for me to see clearly where the record will head.” For “Next Time” was there a song that sort of set the pace for the rest of the  album? 

Laswell: “Royal Empress” was definitely that song, once it was finished and produced I knew what direction this new album was going in, and I really just jumped into the rest of it. 

Technique: “Royal Empress” is the first track on this album, did you record the songs on “Next Time” in order?

Laswell: No, not really. I switched around the order of songs. I rarely finished one song completely at once. I sort of work on them all at the same time, adding bits here and there. I know people don’t really buy full records anymore, but I still pays attention to the flow of the songs and how one leads to another. 

Technique: You’re quite prolific; “Next Time” is your eighth studio album. What is the one song you’d play someone from your discography to introduce them to your music?

Laswell: Whoa, a hard question for sure. I’d probably pick “Comes and goes in Waves” off of “Three Flights From Alto Nido.” It’s the one track that’s most popular. It’s been played in a lot of films and stuff, people really seem to enjoy it. It sort of took off on its own and got its own legs. 

Technique: What was the most challenging part of making this album? How did you overcome it?

Laswell: All of it’s a little challenging. But, specifically, I’d say knowing when it’s done. Really I don’t overcome it, it’s just that I have a deadline. Deadlines are good, they force you to be done. If I didn’t have deadlines I would never finish anything. 

Technique: So are there things you’d like to go back and still keep working on in your released work? Do you listen back and think “Oh I wish I’d changed this?”

Laswell: See, I don’t listen to my own music after it’s out. I can’t, it would drive me crazy, just like you said I’d want to change it. So, I sort of give it away when it’s released, I don’t own it anymore, it’s the listeners’, the fans’.  

Technique: Other than music, what can you be found doing in your down time? 

Laswell: Probably golf, I’m actually a really big golfer, I love it. Oh, also my dog! His name is Joey Lopez. He’s actually named after my real estate agent. I thought it was kind of a funny joke. I’ve got a weird sense of humor
sometimes.  I actually really love dogs. On social media cute animal accounts are my favorite accounts to follow. I’m always retweeting WeRateDogs. 

Technique: You’re on your own tour now! What’s the best part of touring? 

Laswell: Touring is great, I love to travel around and play different places. Between shows, I love stopping at truck stops while I’m on my bus. 

Technique: So you’re coming to Atlanta on January 20th! Have you played here before? Is there anything distinctive about this city? What are your favorite venues? 

Laswell: I actually haven’t been to Atlanta in years, like probably seven or eight. So I don’t actually remember. I’m excited to be back though, I’m sure it will be a great show.

My favorite place to play is close to home in LA, there’s something special about southern california. Other than that, probably Webster Hall in New York City. 

Stepping into the Plaza Theatre on the night before Halloween felt like stepping back in time — the lobby was decorated in bold primary colors, velvet ropes guided patrons to the concession stand, vintage movie posters adorned the walls, and the smell of buttery popcorn wafted through the air. The venue was simply the perfect place for a local film festival.

That night the theatre hosted the Return of the Fifty Foot Film Fest, an event that featured eight spooky and suspenseful short films. It was the successor to last year’s Attack of the Fifty Foot Film Fest, which sold out — no small feat for a debut festival.

The unique feature of the Fifty Foot festivals is that all of the shorts are made in Atlanta by Atlanta filmmakers and premiere in Atlanta. No awards are given out, either, removing the competitive nature that most film festivals have, making sure Fifty Foot is just for fun. On Oct. 30, it was evident that the festival was a community driven event to celebrate local artistry, and, of course, to get in the mood for Halloween.

Inside the auditorium, the screen was framed by thick velvet curtains. Nearly every seat in the house was filled. A chattering buzz filled the air. At exactly 7 p.m., the lights were dimmed, the projector flashed on, the crowd quieted and the festival began.

The festival opened with “Feast” by Melissa Kunnap. The ten minute short begins with an intern’s invitation to his boss’s celebratory dinner and ends with him on a platter, quite literally, as the dessert. The film is tropey, but it set the campy tone of the rest of the night.

If the festival gave out awards, “Living Nightmare” by Jonathan Gabriel and Kristina Miranovic would have been a clear front runner. The film has three parts, each focusing on a real nightmare an interviewee has experienced. The viewer quickly becomes ensnared in the dreams portrayed on screen. The production quality is spectacular. The first nightmare has a repetitive quality, trapping the viewer in an inescapable cycle. The second is a chase sequence through an increasingly dilapidated train and builds suspense magnificently. The third brings back childhood nightmares of monsters creeping from closets and under beds.

Another short that stood out was “Pet” by Justin Craig. While the entire film contained maybe 10 spoken words, it is hard to forget any second of the chilling tale, nor the juxtaposingly heartwarming resolution. There’s a distinct classic horror vibe to the film that does not rely on gore imaginary monsters, only the twisted terror of that can come from mankind.

In spite of the quality of the films at the festival, the most memorable part of the evening was the audience. Each short’s title sequence was met with uproarious hoots and hollers. It was clear that family members and friends of the filmmakers littered the crowd. Different sections of the theatre would erupt for each film. Names that could only belong to associated creators, writers, actors or crew members were cheered.

Even throughout the films, audience members were unable to remain silent; comments, gasps, humorous quips could be heard despite a few attempts at whispering. While this sort of audience participation is annoying when watching the latest Marvel blockbuster at Regal Cinemas, here in the Plaza Theatre it only added to the cozy, local feeling of the fest. Patrons were not just watching a movie in a sea of silent strangers. The fest was a group experience, a celebration of Atlanta creativity.

After the screening, directors, writers and producers were invited to the stage to talk about their movies and answer questions. Creators were able to talk a little about the production of their films and promote upcoming projects. This opportunity to put faces to movies and learn about the Atlanta film industry highlighted just how local this fest was.

Debbie Hess, a local filmmaker and organizer of the Fifty Foot Film Fests, concluded that “We were so excited to again pack the house with supporting friends, family and the community in large to come see local Atlanta filmmakers screen their quality shorts. There was just a fun excitement in the air and the feedback afterwards was
encouraging to all.”

The Return of the Fifty Foot Film Fest is a perfect Halloween eve activity for anyone looking to get in the spooky mood, have a good laugh and get a taste of what Atlanta is all about.