Category: Pop Culture

Bandcamp Friday Picks: March 2026

On By Amy Lordan-TrippIn Music, Pop CultureLeave a comment

It’s another Bandcamp Friday! That means Bandcamp waives their revenue share and passes the funds directly to artists and labels. It’s one of the best ways to support those artists you love. According to Bandcamp, over $120 million has gone directly to labels and musicians since Bandcamp Friday’s inception in 2020.

Here are my picks for this Bandcamp Friday:

  • Black Cross Hotel – “Rebel Yell” The Chicago outfit brings an industrial/darkwave flare to the Billy Idol classic.
  • Various Artists – HELP (2) This all-star compilation from War Child Records features Pulp, The Last Dinner Party, Depeche Mode, Blur, Beth Gibbons, and so many more greats. Your purchase supports humanitarian efforts in Gaza, Yemen, Ukraine, and Sudan.
  • Yeah Everything – Better Than I Remember EP Infectious indie rock from New Hampshire.
  • The Early Years – Modern Moonlight (Pre-order) Soaring British rock. Echoes of Embrace but with a modern, electronic breadth.
  • Ora Cogan – Hard Hearted Woman (Pre-order) Cogan’s debut for Sacred Bones Records. It’s got a baroque-folk-gothic vibe. I’m quite in love with the track “Division.”
  • The Cybertronic Spree – ANYTHING! This Canadian band had the catalytic converter stolen out of their touring RV. They are serious fun.
  • Good Day Father – “Sonic Amadea” I am completely obsessed with this gorgeous single by Brian Futter of Catherine Wheel with Tanya Donelly of Belly. It’s exactly what you’d want from the two.

My Brazilian Pen Pal

On By Amy Lordan-TrippIn Music, Pop CultureLeave a comment

Since I was a kid, I’ve loved learning about different cultures and places via postcards and pen pals. My first pen pal was Cédrine from Tarbes, France. Now, thanks to The Internet, I get to talk to folks all over the world!

For several years now, I’ve spoken with my Brazilian “pen pal” Luciano almost every day. We joke that we’re “music twins” because we love so much of the same music. We first bonded over our love of Ash and since have found that we both adore Jessica Lea Mayfield and many others.

Jessica Lea Mayfield by Luciano Oliveira (AKA neondemon.jpg)

This past September, I saw Jessica Lea Mayfield open for Lucero. After Mayfield’s set, I got to speak with her and told her all about Luciano (he’s one of her top ten listeners on Spotify!). Neither of us had a Sharpie, so instead of signing the CD booklet I brought or the vinyl I bought, she wrote to Luciano with a pink pen on a random postcard for The Friendly Toast that I had with me!

Luciano’s postcard from Jessica Lea Mayfield

Long story short: Luciano was inspired by me to write about his Top 25 Albums of 2025! There’s some overlap, which is no surprise given that we’re music twins, but I’ve also discovered some new tunes. You can find it on Tumblr and his blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

Entry six in Luciano’s Top 25: Soak by Black Honey

Needless to say, I think Luciano is very talented. Check out his art portfolio or follow him on Instagram! And cross your fingers that Ash, Jessica Lea Mayfield, and more artists make their way to Brazil!

2025: My Year In Books

On By Amy Lordan-TrippIn Books, Pop CultureLeave a comment

This past year was rough for me. For the first time in my life, I had Reader’s Block. I won’t name names (or titles!), but two books in a row rubbed me the wrong way. They were just not good. Or maybe all the other books I read were just that much better? However you look at it, I just had a really hard time getting back into reading after those two no-good books. And ages ago, I adopted the practice of not finishing books that I didn’t like because life’s too short! But sometimes, one has to read a bad book (or two!) because of … obligations.

Anyhow! The good news is I’m outta that funk! The book that saved me was The Taylors by Jen Calonita. A middle grade book about a group of girls named after Taylor Swift broke the curse! It even gave me goosebumps.

Right after The Taylors, I found myself reading my book of the year, Atmosphere, by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Who would’ve thought that this graduate of Space Camp would fall hard for a sapphic, historical fiction novel about the first female astronauts at NASA?

Space Camp! I’m on the right.

Rounding out my favorite reads of the year:

  • Love Stories (The Taylors Version #1) by Elizabeth Eulberg – this is the young adult companion to Jen Calonita’s book.
My cat with Elizabeth Eulberg’s book
  • It Rhymes With Takei by George Takei (graphic novel/non-fiction)
  • Wake Up and Open Your Eyes by Clay McLeod Chapman (horror)
  • Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist by Liz Pelly (non-fiction)

This past year, I wrote book reviews on NetGalley, Goodreads, Amazon, StoryGraph, and this blog. I logged my book reading on both Goodreads and StoryGraph. I think it’s important to continue to write reviews on Amazon and Goodreads because those are still so vital for authors.

Without further ado, here’s what I read in 2025!

Jem and the Holograms Comic Update!

On By Amy Lordan-TrippIn Comic Books, Pop CultureLeave a comment

If you were a fan of the fantastic, gorgeous Jem and the Holograms comics from BOOM! Studios, you’re in luck: BOOM! Direct Reserve has launched the JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS: TRULY OUTRAGEOUS COMIC COLLECTION Kickstarter campaign. This will mark the first time that these fabulous comics will be collected in their entirety in deluxe hardcover editions. If you’re a fan of the original cartoon series and missed out on the comics, now is your chance to reserve your copies. Rewards range from the deluxe hardcover of volume 1 at $60 to the $1500 “Ultimate Battle of the Bands Collection,” which includes The Stingers Sound Set, The Misfits Music Set, and Jem and the Holograms Starlight Set (with each volume 1 signed by Kelly Thompson and Sophie Campbell). This project has already reached its goal, so you have until Thursday, December 4, 2025 at 2:00 PM EST to back it.