Month: June 2024

(House of the Dragon spoilers will obviously be found below.)

We are already a quarter of the way through the current House of the Dragon season, but it’s been a jam-packed quarter thus far. Following the Blood and Cheese atrocity, a deadly duel between the closest of family went down during a war between two sides of the Targaryen clan. Additionally, we saw that Ser Criston Cole remains the worst character and also failed upward into being the King’s Hand.

This does not bode well for King Aegon II and Team Green, but it does match the chaos that comes to mind when considering Tom Glynn-Carney’s admission that a certain horror villain influence how he sees Aegon’s onscreen look. That appears to be a commonality amongst Targaryen brothers (Ewan Mitchell recently admitted that Michael Myers serves as an inspiration for Aemond’s vibe), but wow, once you see who Glynn-Carney is referring to, you will perhaps never look at Aegon in the same way again.

Yes, that’s right. Glynn-Carney told Page Six that the Child’s Play franchise’s homicidal Chucky doll is how he views Aegon, and that checks out:

“I rarely look like that — I look in the mirror and I don’t see myself anymore. I see this sort of Chucky looking doll. The whole preproduction period was designed to make him as unattractive and as vile as possible… But, it’s great to meet people who are passionate about it.”

Glynn-Carney seems to be relieved that few people recognize him outside of costume, which makes plenty of sense because nobody truly wants to resemble Chucky. As far as Aegon’s vibe goes (at least when he isn’t throwing tantrums), Glynn-Carney declared, “That [comedy] happens just organically, I think … I do find him quite funny.” He added, “I work off impulse a lot, and instinct, rather than planning things meticulously.”

That also appears to be how Aegon is operating, too, which is far less effective as a monarch than as an actor. Just ask Otto Hightower:

(Via Page Six)

When Greg Gonzalez, the man behind Cigarettes After Sex, began imagining the aesthetics for his upcoming X’s Tour, he took influence from an unexpected place. Heading to arenas and stadiums across the US and Europe for the very first time, he recalled his childhood, obsessing over Metallica’s A Year And A Half In The Life Of Metallica and their Black Album tour. Listening to the smooth, mysterious pop concoctions of X’s and earlier releases may draw few parallels to the speed-fueled metal of Metallica, but Gonzalez is ready to put on a capital s-Show, and who better to base your biggest gigs to date off of than the LA icons?

With X’s, Gonzalez presents his most polished songwriting to date, turning in some of his DIY tendencies for lush production and an emphasis on cohesion. Gonzalez is a showman, taking shape both on record and in the live setting. Rather than boost his band’s setlist with new material, he aims to sprinkle a few fresh tunes into each set, bulking out the rest of the show with hits from his back catalog. “I like hearing bands play new songs live, but if I put myself in the audience, I probably wouldn’t be that excited to hear a new song live for the first time. I wouldn’t be able to get what it was,” he explains. A recent show at Bonnaroo marked the first time they played new single “Tejano Blue” live. Cigarettes After Sex are promoting a new album, but they’re putting on a show for the fans, an important distinction in Gonzalez’s mind.

While the venues may be bigger, fans can still expect the signature Cigarettes After Sex set on this upcoming run. There will be bigger production values afforded to them with the upgrade in ticket sales, but above all, the X’s Tour will be a rock show. Cinematic influences will abound, but for Gonzalez, it’s still all about the music. He says the new set will land somewhere between Leonard Cohen and Metallica, a middle ground that makes him chuckle but does a good job illustrating the blend of classiness and absurdity that informs their best work. X’s is playful but deeply serious, sensual yet vulgar. While fresh fans may have missed their chance to catch Cigarettes After Sex in a small club, this may be the last chance to see a show before things get really turned up a notch: “Music has to be the main thing, but I think our style lends itself well to lighting and shadow and fog,” Gonzalez says, before adding with a laugh: “potentially someday with pyrotechnics and fire, too.”

How long was the writing and recording process from first idea to mastering?

This actually took longer than usual for us. I think we started doing stuff at the end of 2020. We started writing some of the earlier songs on the record, trying out ideas. It was totally finished with vocals and everything last summer, about a year ago. It was a three year process. Usually we’d do things a little more quickly, but this record was supposed to be a little different. I was trying to get a different groove going on. It was a little more produced than the previous stuff in that sense.

When you record, are you thinking about the live setting, using instruments that can or can’t translate to the live show? Things like that?

I’m definitely mindful of how we would do it live because I want us to have a purity as far as not having to bring in too many backing tracks or things like that. For the longest time we never even played with a click. This is our first record with a click track. That was done to get the groove in a certain place. I found that the click works well in a live setting to make things more consistent, but I don’t like to fly in things to the mix. I like it more old-fashioned, where we’re just playing it live on stage.

Will you be using a click on this tour throughout?

Yeah we definitely will for this. We’ve been using a click for the last while now on the road.

Does that take getting used to on stage?

Yeah, it took a lot of practice for us. We’d all played with clicks and everything, but this music is really supposed to ebb and flow. I didn’t necessarily even realize that pretty much all the old records we’ve done, they all speed up quite a bit. There are songs that actually speed up like 5 BPM throughout the song. It’s not something you would ever think of. A song like “Sweet” from our first record speeds up, so when we played it live with a click, it didn’t feel right. It just felt kind of dead. So we actually went in and programmed the click to increase BPMs on certain songs.

Setlist vs tracklist for this new record… Do they flow the same way to you in terms of creating an atmosphere?

This has become more of a thing lately, and I don’t want to knock anybody, I think it’s great if people enjoy it, but a lot of bands and artists will do one record straight through live. For us, we could never do that because it feels like a live show has to function in a much, much different way than the way a record functions. A lot of the best records to me also start off brighter on side A, before side B gets darker. You think of OK Computer or Rumours or Remain In Light. They have this really upbeat first half, and the second half gets on the darker side, which our new record does the same thing. The more upbeat stuff is on side A and it winds down at the end with the darker songs. Since records kind of do that, that doesn’t seem like the best thing live. Live is supposed to build up to the biggest hits at the end. I’m pretty old fashioned the way I think about it. I wanna save all the biggest songs and put them all at the end. I think that’s fun. That’s the dynamics of what I wanna do for us.

Some artists get a little jaded abut playing their biggest songs. Have you ever wrestled with that? Some of your biggest songs are on the self-titled record, but now you’re in a bigger place in your career. Is it always easy revisiting those hits in this context of a new era?

If the crowd wants to hear it I definitely wanna play it. I guess it was a happy accident but my philosophy is kind of, ‘Don’t write a song if you won’t want to play it live a gazillion times.’ I wouldn’t want to put anything out that seems frivolous. Luckily for me, I haven’t gotten tired of these songs because they’re real memories that I’ve had. A song like “Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby,” which is the song that first took off for us in 2015, it actually becomes more profound as the years go on to play that song because it feels like there’s more distance between the person I was when I wrote that song. That’s a true story. It’s full of imagery of the relationship I was in at that time. If I think about that on stage, it feels like there’s this profound gap between time between who I was then and who I am now. It feels really overwhelming in this really beautiful way.

Does that feeling work its way into the way you play it live?

It definitely does. I’m reminiscing when I’m playing that song. I can see artists who wrote songs that were creatively interesting but not really personal, maybe that’s where it gets, ‘Oh, we’ve played this song a million times and there’s no emotional core to it.’ Even if the audience would really enjoy it, it’s still not that personal to them, right? Or the song is meant to be humorous. I heard that Pavement didn’t want to play “Cut Your Hair” back in the day because they were played out on the song. It’s valid, but for me, I’m writing these songs to be performed after I’m gone, even. Someone else should be playing and singing these songs at gigs. That’s kind of my safeguard against feeling that way, jaded or sick of a song. If I did that I wouldn’t be a good writer or wouldn’t have anything worth expressing.

What’s the point of writing and releasing music if it’s not meant to last?

For me, yeah. Exactly. That’s the way I get fulfilled by writing. Other artists who may write quite a bit of music may be fulfilled by releasing a bunch of stuff and that’s fulfilling for them. That’s valid as well. For me, if I didn’t live through it and it’s not really personal, if it doesn’t feel deeply emotional, I won’t put it out. If I’m playing these songs on stage, I’m reliving a beautiful memory I had with someone. If the audience is enjoying it too, that could be really emotional. Often times I’ll see the look on someone’s face in the crowd and if they’re crying or something, it’s kind of hard to look at them because it’ll make me choked up and I won’t be able to sing anymore [laughs]. That happens pretty often.

That must be such a unique feeling.

That’s something I never anticipated. Just the look on someone’s face will tell me an entire story, or can give me something I can imagine, something they’ve been through. That’s very intense, to see someone reacting to that story I have. I can picture rooms where these moments happened in with somebody, and it’s interesting that someone has their own story I don’t know about that I can see in their face.

Was Bonnaroo the first concert of this new era for the band?

It was. We played “Tejano Blue” for the first time.

What’s your general philosophy on playing new songs before the album comes out?

We actually never do it. There was a time we had to do it, when the band took off in 2016 and we had a total of six songs to play. We were on tour in Europe and the US and we figured we should play more than six songs [laughs]. We were playing “John Wayne” and “Apocalypse” and songs from our first record before it came out. That was the exception. Usually, I don’t want to play a song before it’s out. I like when bands debut songs live, but I don’t want to give anything away. Once it’s out it’s out and it makes more sense to me. Philosophically, I like hearing bands play new songs live, but if I put myself in the audience, I probably wouldn’t be that excited to hear a new song live for the first time. I wouldn’t be able to get what it was. The danger of that, too, is hearing the live version first and it’s great, but then you hear the recorded version and it’s not as good. I really want to avoid that as well [laughs].

Is there a difference for you outside of duration for a headlining set versus a festival set? Some people may not be at these festival sets to specifically see Cigarettes After Sex.

It’s a bit of an exception. Usually, I like to start the show smaller than we did at Bonnaroo. I’m not trying to get too perverted here, but it’s kind of like foreplay. A set for us starts with caresses and then it moves into these more intense feelings. It should really ramp up dynamically. For Bonnaroo, we decided to start with something everybody knows.

Did you like that feeling of people reacting to a bigger song first?

It was cool. It didn’t actually seem like it made the biggest splash, and I like the philosophy I just explained more. There is a kind of, ‘we arrived’ moment. We played “Sunsetz” first, which feels like a nice opener.

“Crush” and “Affection” were show openers for a long time. What do you think made those two songs in particular good show starters?

I like that those start with just the guitar first, and then the drums and bass join in. There’s a moment where everyone cheers for the intro, and then when the other parts come in there’s another cheer. It compounds and there’s an excitement that things are building. Those songs have a nice relaxed feeling to them. They’re both very versatile songs and I like the way they move. They’re both standalone singles, too.

Are you generally into playing the hits at the end?

Absolutely. It’s always been that way, too, even during our first shows. We pretty much always end with “Apocalypse” before the encore. It just feels like the way you’re supposed to do it. I’ll see bands play one of their biggest hits third, and it feels so random to me, to play the biggest song that early.

But the band is at the point now where you have at least a handful of songs that have a wide swath of fanbase claiming it as their favorite. For someone, their favorite song will be played third.

That’s a good point, but I guess I meant other bands who only have one big song and they play it third [laughs]. If something overtakes “Apocalypse” someday, maybe we’ll play that last. What’s cool is we can play the encore and do some interesting stuff there. I’d never wanna play “Apocalypse” during the encore. People might miss it or something.

You’ve been doing “Opera House” a lot as an encore. What makes that a good finale?

I like the idea of ending with a really emotional song, a really sweet, desperate place. It’s like a movie with a sad ending. It’s brutal. I want that feeling. We get to have this big moment with “Apocalypse” and everyone’s happy. It’s triumphant and magical, and then we go in a totally different direction by playing a song that’s a heartbroken sweet song. I like ending on that exact moment.

Does it ever get tougher for you to revisit some of these harder experiences from your adult life? At this point are you able to separate the performance from the thing that informed the song?

I usually can’t. There are times I’ll feel it more and feel it less, but I’m writing for it to be that. If I’m more confrontational with things I’ve been through, even if they are amazing moments, that gives me what I need from music more than saying, ‘Oh, this is too difficult for me to play.’ You want to face things head on. When I’ve done that, it gives me a lot. It’s really rewarding to do that. If I feel really emotional at a show, I’ll go with it and just try to face it and feel that again. That feels like the best thing, rather than try to ignore something. The songs themselves are trying to confront that stuff. I don’t write songs that are bitter, but there is joy and pain in these songs. A lot of it is sad because it was a sweet moment I had with somebody or a really deep, romantic memory that I had with somebody. The fact that it’s sad is that it’s gone, but it was beautiful when I had it. It wasn’t sad. The distance of time between playing a song on stage and when it was written feels very profound, emotional but never heavy.

Have you ruminated a bit on which songs from the new album will be the best in a live setting?

The music is meant to be cohesive. A lot of it might sound similar, but I love artists whose songs sound very distinctively like them. It is cool when I write a song that would be good in a set, just to shake things up dynamically. The newest single, “Baby Blue Movie,” feels pretty good towards the end of a set because it’s pretty upbeat and thrilling in a live way. Before that, I thought “Heavenly” would be pretty good live. I don’t want to play too many new songs, maybe four at the max. That seems like a lot, even. It’s the same kind of thing. If I see an artist, it’s nice to get a few new songs but you mostly want those old songs. As time goes on and the songs are known more, we can add more of them to the set, but I don’t want to do too many on the new tour and spam the audience with all this new stuff.

Bands play 75% of a new album a lot. You can still be proud of your new work and want to cater to the audience’s desire to hear old stuff. That’s a hard balance.

It’s such a weird thing and something I thought a lot about, too. Think about The Beatles in the ‘60s on tour. They had “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and “She Loves You” and all these massive songs, but by the time they play Shea Stadium in 1965, they’re not playing any of those songs. It’s all new. Everything was new then, playing “Paperback Writer.” It’s a cool way to do it. Dylan would always debut a ton of new stuff. Cat Power was doing that when I saw her years ago. It signals a new era of music, which is a cool way to do it. Like, ‘If you like us, here’s our new era.’ The way I’m thinking about it is in the way I enjoy shows, which is comprehensive. I’m saying, ‘This is all one vision, so it should all be in the set.’ All these songs relate to each other so much. My songs have recurring characters. It’s this little universe that all ties together and I want that full spread in a setlist. I also want people to enjoy themselves and hear songs they know and not be disappointed because we don’t play our biggest songs for some reason. I do respect artists that do have that style, too.

You mentioned Dylan, Cat Power, and the ‘60s Beatles. Who are some of your other live inspirations?

This is an odd one to say, but growing up I used to watch A Year And A Half In The Life Of Metallica religiously. Metallica, especially when they did the Black Album tour, from ‘91 to ‘93 or something, the entire vibe was awesome. They would be silly on stage sometimes, with jokes and guitar solos and drum solos, but they were still so stripped down. They were playing really comprehensive setlist. That was a big influence. I also loved the all-black aesthetic. That vibe goes a long way. Leonard Cohen, too. I was able to see him in 2009, I think, at Red Rocks Amphitheater. He was a class act. The band was all dressed in suits and he was playing a nylon string acoustic guitar. He was doing all the songs you wanted to hear. That was really special. That’s a good mix, Leonard Cohen and Metallica [laughs].

Are you a banter guy on stage, or no talking on stage between songs?

I tend to not want to talk too much. I want to say some things. When bands don’t say anything, it’s kind of cool, but I feel like I have to say something. I’ll intro songs and sometimes I’ll say a little bit more. If I see Paul McCartney and he’s telling stories, that’s awesome to see and I don’t mind it. Other artists I’ve seen and they wanna keep talking forever, and it starts to feel a little odd to me. I’m trying to make it very minimal. If I have more to say I will. I’m still very shy on stage. I don’t feel very good about public speaking. I also don’t want to take them out of the experience too much, it should be mostly music-based. If I have something important to say, of course I will, but it doesn’t feel like the show is about me talking. I haven’t heard anyone really complain in a while, though once in a while we’ll get, ‘He didn’t really say anything’ [laughs].

You guys play cover songs you’ve recorded on record, but not really any standalone covers not in your discography. What’s your philosophy on that?

We would only play a cover we’ve actually put out. Those early tours, we would play “Keep On Loving You” quite a bit, but that song did really well when that came out. It’s fallen a bit by the wayside with our fans, when we play it it doesn’t really seem to do much for them [laughs]. There was a time that we played that song at every show. “Neon Moon” was a song I kept getting asked about so we would play it on the last tour. More recently we’ve been doing “Motion Picture Soundtrack,” which we’ll probably play on this tour quite a bit. We only play those because they’re songs I’ve adapted.

You wouldn’t ever play cover songs you haven’t adapted?

I wouldn’t play a cover song at a show just to play it. I kind of reject that philosophy for us. I’ve seen bands do it, but I like to have a reason for covering something. If you know us, you will know our cover songs. A lot of people thought we wrote those songs, too. People thought I wrote “Keep On Loving You” and “Motion Picture Soundtrack” [laughs].

Those covers were all taken from the same session, too. I just staggered their release dates because I didn’t want to drop all these covers at once. It felt kind of weird to release a whole bunch of covers at once. I won’t say anything about it either, I’ll just drop it, regardless of if we recorded it years earlier. It doesn’t need to be clarified that it’s from the vaults.

You’re playing arenas! That’s crazy. What’s it like getting ready to play the biggest venues you’ve ever stepped foot in?

It’s wild. This was always the wish, going back to what I said about Metallica. I was watching their live videos religiously and thinking, ‘They’re playing these huge arenas. I wanna do that someday.’ I want my music to be in that same breath. It’s cool to see it happening in that way. It was a long road to get there but it’s arriving now, which is amazing. Now it gives us a little more of a chance to mess with production values and try cool things out. The way I think of the Cigarettes live experience is that you should feel like you’re in a movie, but it still has to be a rock show. I don’t want it to feel too theatrical. I want it to feel intensely cinematic and have really interesting moments that feel really striking visually and musically, but in the end it shouldn’t be too heavy on that. It should be a stripped-down rock show with us on stage, with almost no production at times, too. I like both extremes of that in the same show. It’s music forward, music first. Music has to be the main thing, but I think our style lends itself well to lighting and shadow and fog, potentially someday with pyrotechnics and fire, too [laughs].

The transition from Pat Sajak to Ryan Seacrest as the host of Wheel of Fortune reportedly isn’t going smoothly.

A source told The Daily Mail that Vanna White is considering exiting the game show before the end of her recently-signed two-year contract extension. “Vanna is retiring from the show when her contract ends, but there is a part of her that wants to walk away sooner,” they said. “It is just so difficult to do this without Pat. She just doesn’t jibe with Ryan like she did with Pat, and no one really ever expected her to. There is just no way that she possibly could.”

White worked with Sajak on Wheel for over 40 years and 8,000 episodes. Expecting her and Seacrest to have instant chemistry — especially when he’s busy with 17 other projects, not to mention all the clogged toilets — is a tough ask.

The source continued, “Vanna feels that she has put her time in. She devoted her entire life to this show and she had an incredible run while making a fortune. She knows that the show needs to go in a different direction and appeal to a younger demographic. She wants the show to continue. This will require a younger female host, someone who can be to Ryan what she was to Pat.” Someone like… Pat Sajak’s daughter, perhaps?

Ryan Seacrest’s first episode as Wheel of Fortune will air in September 2024.

(Via The Daily Mail)

Have you ever wondered what happens at the dry cleaners? Or are you like me, who just assumed the people at the dry cleaners were wizards and never questioned their magic? Turns out, dry cleaners aren’t magic and there’s actually a pretty interesting explanation of how they came to be and what they do.

Melissa Pateras is known on Tiktok for her laundry knowledge. Seriously, her ability to fold laundry is hypnotizing. This time, she created a video explaining what actually takes place at the dry cleaner and the internet is aghast.

Before Pateras explained what happens in the mysterious world behind the counter of a dry cleaner, she asked a few of her friends what they thought dry cleaning was. Their answers were…interesting to say the least.

One friend surmised, “You put it in a box, right…and then you let some wind, really fast wind, blow around on your clothes and it wipes off all the dirt.” The friend, whose username is @unlearn16, continued with her working hypothesis, saying that the clothes are then blasted with infrared heat to sterilize the garments. While that is certainly an interesting theory, that’s not what happens.

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Another friend guessed, “Dry cleaning is when they take all of your dirty clothes into this big dryer with a clean sheet that sticks all of the dirt to it from your dirty clothes.” This friend was also incorrect, and Pateras finally explained why after her friends dug deep into their brains for their best guesses.

Turns out dry cleaning was invented by accident when Jean-Baptiste Jolly spilled a kerosene lamp on his tablecloth, which dried cleaner than it was previously, according to Pateras.

The laundry guru explained that while it was dangerous, the practice of cleaning things with kerosene continued until a less flammable method was discovered. But even the safer method is still fairly harsh, which is why dry cleaners take buttons off of clothing before running them through, she says.

This prompted one commenter to ask, “They really take the buttons off of every shirt?” to which Pateras replied that it only occurs if the buttons won’t withstand the chemicals.

If you’ve ever been curious about what happens at the dry cleaner, watch the video below. She takes you through each step.

@melissadilkespateras

What is dry cleaning #laundry #laundrytok #drycleaning #funfacts @Tracy Taylor @Unlearn16 @Ana Pac @Ashley Mathieu @Li

This article originally appeared on 5.10.23

Dogs are a man’s best friend, as the saying goes, but that’s only true when humans treat them as they should be treated. When someone neglects, abuses or otherwise mistreats a dog, their sense of trust in human companionship gets disrupted and doesn’t come as naturally as it should.

It’s common to see issue with dogs who end up in shelters. They might be timid, suspicious or fearful, and living in a kennel in a shelter away from everything familiar doesn’t help. Even if a shelter is better than the unhealthy situation they came from, it’s certainly not ideal, which is one reason Rocky Kanaka goes to visit and sit with shelter dogs. If he can help a dog feel safe and convince it to to trust him, he kick-starts the process of repairing the dog-human bond.

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One dog Kanaka sat with was a 3-year-old black Shepherd mix named “Venom.” She was curled up in the corner of her kennel and wasn’t too keen on having him coming into her space. She wasn’t aggressive, but guarded. Her self-protective instincts seemed on, so Kanaka took it very slow.

He began by turning his back to her and squatting down, not interacting with her other than to speak soothingly, just to let her get used to his presence. He brought some treats, which he shared with her before sitting down. She kept looking at him with a mix of curiosity and trepidation, and Kanaka respected her space.

He found out she had been at the shelter for 10 days, which Kanaka said was bad because if a dog is still in this kind of nervous state after 10 days in the shelter, it’s harder for them to get adopted. Soon, he got her to take treats from his hand, which enabled him to move a little closer to her—the goal being to eventually get her to approach him.

Then Kanaka got her story, including that her name was Venom and this was her second time in the shelter. The first time, her owners were on vacation, The second time a good samaritan brought her in, and the shelter couldn’t get a hold of the owners. When they were finally reached, the owners said that she had not been behaving well with their smaller dog and they didn’t want her anymore.

Kanaka didn’t cast judgment on the owners for giving her up, but he was totally taken aback by her given name.

“Come on. Venom? She is anything but that. It should be like, Honeysuckle, you know? Or something sweet. Something sweet like Honey. I think that’s her name, Honey.”

Watch how this sweet puppers slowly warms up to Kanaka and begins to trust him:

Watching her eventually melt into a state of relaxation as Kanaka scratched her head was so rewarding. You can tell that she’s a good girl who’s been through some rough times, and she’d be an incredible dog for someone who took good care of her.

“Her eyes and brows are so expressive. You can read the concern in her face,” wrote one commenter.

“That poor baby is heart broken. She knows she was left and lost family. I feel you baby,” wrote another.

“What a sweet little fluff,” shared another. “How could anyone just abandon her and not think she’s worth the fee will baffle me for all of time. And to call her ‘Venom’ is not only an insult to her, but an insight into the life she could have previously had and how her last ‘owners thought of her. Can’t wait for her to find her forever home and finally get all the love she deserves.”

Thankfully, according to an update on Kanaka’s website, Honey was adopted on March 8, 2024. So hopefully, she did find a forever home with people who will appreciate and nurture her naturally sweet disposition and give her the life she should have.

You can follow Rocky Kanaka for more “Sitting with Dogs” videos on YouTube and on his website rockykanaka.com.

This article originally appeared on 4.9.24

Do you often walk into a room and forget why you are there? Or when you sit down to read a book, do you end up reading the same paragraph over and over? If you experience these things frequently, you may be worried that your cognitive function is declining.

The brain structure changes and shrinks as we get older, which can result in minor cognitive decline. However, frequent disorientation, forgetfulness, and difficulty making decisions can be signs of serious cognitive impairment—such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease—that significantly interferes with daily activities and reduces quality of life.

Fortunately, there are some measures you can take and lifestyle changes you can make to potentially improve cognitive function. Many factors contribute to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia risk, and these measures are by no means a guarantee that you won’t develop these conditions. However, they may help protect the brain from age-related cognitive decline by boosting brain connectivity and enhancing cognitive processes.

What are cognitive functions?

Cognitive function is an umbrella term that encompasses various brain activities, ranging from simple to complex. In other words, cognitive functions are the mental processes through which your brain communicates with your body to perform tasks. Some examples of cognitive functions include language abilities, reasoning, problem-solving, planning, decision-making, learning, attention, verbal fluency, knowledge acquisition, and information manipulation.

Types of cognitive impairment

Cognitive functions tend to naturally decline with age, making it difficult to distinguish normal, age-related changes in cognitive functioning from the early stages of disease-associated cognitive decline. For instance, memory difficulty, which is common in older individuals, is also a common symptom of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.

Contrary to common misconceptions, not all forms of cognitive decline involve memory problems or difficulty thinking clearly. Some cognitive disorders initially present with sleep problems, behavioral or personality changes, such as poor judgment and impulsivity, or difficulty with environmental interactions.

Furthermore, depending on the cause, cognitive impairment may be temporary or progressive. For example, delirium, a mental state characterized by confusion and disorientation, is temporary, whereas all forms of dementia (including Alzheimer’s Disease) are progressive.

Age-related cognitive decline

Slight cognitive decline and some changes in cognitive performance are normal parts of aging. Most cognitive functions peak around age 30 and subtly decline with advancing age. Age-related cognitive impairments include difficulties with multitasking, retaining information, word-finding, and maintaining attention, as well as an overall decline in thinking and perceptual speed.

It is worth mentioning that not all cognitive abilities decline with age. For many, verbal reasoning, vocabulary, and other aspects of crystallized intelligence remain unchanged or improve with age.

Mild cognitive impairment

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) refers to impairments in cognitive functioning, such as memory loss, that are more severe than in other people of the same age. While these changes in cognitive function are noticeable, they are not severe enough to qualify for a dementia or Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis, and they do not interfere with daily cognitive functioning.

Mild cognitive impairment can have various causes, including:

• Nutritional deficiencies
• Depression, anxiety, or other mental health conditions
• Thyroid conditions
• Autoimmune disorders
• Not getting enough sleep
• Infections
• Medication side effects
• Early stages of dementia

The cause of cognitive decline often determines the extent of compromised cognitive function in the individual and whether they can expect to suffer progressive cognitive decline. For those whose condition is not progressive, the symptoms of cognitive decline may slow or reverse, and many may return to their previous cognitive abilities.

However, for other individuals, cognitive decline may worsen over time and possibly progress to dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, diseases that significantly impair cognitive functioning.

Generally, individuals with mild cognitive impairment have an increased dementia risk, but mild cognitive impairment is not a guarantee of a future dementia diagnosis. Studies examining the risk factors for the progression of MCI to dementia indicate the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or dementia is three to five times higher for individuals diagnosed with MCI than for those with normal cognitive function.

Dementia

Dementia is characterized by a loss of behavioral and cognitive abilities that significantly interferes with a person’s ability to perform daily tasks, resulting in a reduction in quality of life. The signs and symptoms of dementia typically present when healthy neurons stop working, lose connections, and die. Some neuron loss with age is normal; however, those with dementia experience a much greater loss of cognitive functions.

The signs and symptoms of dementia vary by individual, but typically include:

• Memory loss and confusion
• Sleep problems
• Difficulty with fine and gross motor skills
• Decline in executive functions (e.g., working memory, planning, emotional control, etc.)
• Difficulty understanding and expressing thoughts
• Problems reading and writing
• Reduction in psychomotor speed
• Repetitive questioning
• Changes in diet and eating habits
• Poor judgment and acting impulsively
• Disorientation in familiar places
• Taking longer to complete everyday tasks
• Losing interest in daily activities
• Hallucinating, delusions, and paranoia
• Balance and mobility problems

There are several types of dementia, and all are progressive. The most common forms are Alzheimer’s disease, in which abnormal protein plaques accumulate in the brain, Lewy-Body dementia, and vascular dementia, which results from blocked or leaky arteries in the brain. Although the underlying cause of dementia disease varies, the effect is the same—reduced cognitive abilities and cognitive impairment.

How to improve cognitive function

The brain shrinks as we age, and the number of synapses and neurotransmitter receptors—both allowing neurons to communicate with each other—decreases. These brain changes can cause minor cognitive impairment, particularly in memory, attention, processing speed, and planning. However, many lifestyle factors affect cognitive function, and changing your routine can help slow age-related cognitive decline.

Regular physical activity

Research shows that physical activity can have a beneficial effect on cognitive function in all age groups. Exercise increases blood flow to the brain and neurotrophins, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which promotes neuron growth, repairs brain cells, and helps the brain develop new connections.

Exercise can also increase the volume of the hippocampus, a part of the brain responsible for forming new memories. Additionally, aerobic exercise is thought to be a factor in minimizing the risk of dementia and other neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease.

Brain training

Brain training involves regularly engaging in cognitively stimulating activities and exercises challenging information processing and cognitive abilities. Examples include crossword and sudoku puzzles, jigsaws, problem-solving activities, reading and writing, and learning new skills and hobbies.

Memory training is a type of brain training designed to improve episodic memory—remembering events that occur in daily life—and working memory, a type of short-term memory essential to information manipulation. Memory training activities include puzzles, matching games, and word games that involve trying to remember as many words as possible in a given time.

Challenging the brain is known to build up cognitive reserves, aka the brain’s flexibility and agility. This can potentially reduce susceptibility to age-related changes in the brain and decline in cognitive functioning. As such, brain training can also lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and cognitive dysfunction. There’s a plus – regular brain training activities in one sphere can help improve your cognitive abilities in other areas, which, in turn, can preserve your overall cognitive ability.

Stay social

Humans are social animals. Positive social interactions can improve one’s quality of life and the ability to relate to others. People who are isolated may see a degradation of their cognitive ability sooner than those who stay engaged with others.

While research into social interactions and cognitive function is limited, a few trials have yielded positive results, indicating that positive social engagement can increase hippocampal volume and improve memory and overall brain health.

Sufficient rest

Sleep patterns change as we age, with sleep interruptions and early waking becoming increasingly common. Not getting enough sleep can negatively affect attention, memory, and executive functions (higher-level cognitive skills like flexible thinking and self-control).

Lifestyle changes can improve sleep patterns, which can support cognitive function. These include spending more time in the sunlight, maintaining a consistent sleep routine, taking short afternoon naps to counteract nighttime sleep loss, and seeking treatment for sleep problems and disorders like sleep apnea and insomnia.

Foods that can boost cognitive function

Research indicates certain foods can enhance cognitive abilities, protect the brain from damage, and slow cognitive decline. However, the mechanisms by which these foods impact cognitive functioning are unclear.

However, existing research indicates that certain nutrient components can reduce inflammation, oxidative damage, and the buildup of toxic proteins in the brain. These nutrient components may also promote the formation of new synapses and brain cells, prolong the life of existing brain cells, and support the lining of blood vessels, increasing the blood supply and oxygen to the brain.

Some of the best “brain foods” include:

Berries

Berries are rich in flavonoids and pelargonidin—natural plant pigments associated with enhanced memory, improved cognitive function, and a reduced risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Green leafy vegetables

Green leafy vegetables are rich in brain-boosting nutrients like folate, beta carotene, vitamin K, and lutein. They can help slow cognitive decline and lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Oily fish

Fatty and oily fishes, like tuna and salmon, are rich in omega-4 fatty acids, which can lower levels of beta-amyloid—a protein that accumulates in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease—in the blood.

Legumes

Soybeans, black beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas have high concentrations of anti-inflammatory compounds that can support overall brain health and boost cognitive functioning.

Whole grains

Whole grains are an excellent source of phytonutrients, B vitamins, and antioxidants. They can significantly benefit brain function and lower the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Tumeric

This well-loved spice contains curcumin, a compound that may increase BDNF levels, lower the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, improve cognitive abilities, and support overall brain health.

Other brain-boosting Foods

Other foods that can improve cognitive function and mitigate cognitive decline include monounsaturated fatty acids, nuts, green tea, dark chocolate, and coffee. Some nutritional supplements, especially those containing vitamins D and B12, can also help support brain health and lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Conclusion

Cognitive abilities tend to decline as we get older, with many people experiencing subtle changes in cognitive function by or before middle age. However, if these age-related changes are more severe or frequently occurring than those of other individuals in the same age group, they may be signs of mild cognitive impairment.

While mild cognitive impairment does not always progress to dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, those with MCI are more likely to develop dementia and other conditions involving significant cognitive decline.

Some lifestyle factors can impact cognitive function and play a role in the likelihood of developing dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and similar conditions. Positive lifestyle changes like brain and memory training, regularly exercising, sleeping well, engaging in social activities, and eating a healthy diet with plenty of “brain foods” can support overall brain health and improve cognitive function. As such, incorporating these lifestyle changes into daily life may help slow age-related cognitive decline, improve cognitive performance, and lower the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

MJ Lenderman already had September 6 circled on his calendar because he’ll be performing at Hopscotch Music Festival in Raleigh, North Carolina. But September 6 is especially special for the North Carolina-based artist now that he’s announced Manning Fireworks due out on September 6 via ANTI-.

The album’s rollout kicked off with “She’s Leaving You,” described in a press release as “a half-sneering portrait of a middle-aged man cheating his way through a midlife crisis” and “he perfect shout-along anthem for any kid who’s ever felt shortchanged by their parents.” The accompanying video is a playful portrayal of a high school talent show directed by Whitmer Thomas and Clay Tatum, whose inspirations were Creed’s 2001 Thanksgiving halftime show, Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” and Drop Dead Gorgeous.

The press release additionally teased Manning Fireworks as Lenderman’s take on “the intersection of wit and sadness.” Lenderman recorded the LP at Drop Of Sun Studios in Asheville, North Carolina, and it was co-produced with Alex Farrar. Manning Fireworks will serve as Lenderman’s fourth full-length studio album and debut studio album under ANTI-.

Watch the “She’s Leaving You” video above, and find more about Manning Fireworks below.

MJ Lenderman’s Manning Fireworks Tracklist

1. “Manning Fireworks”
2. “Joker Lips”
3. “Rudolph”
4. “Wristwatch”
5. “She’s Leaving You”
6. “Rip Torn”
7. “You Don’t Know The Shape I’m In”
8. “On My Knees”
9. “Bark At The Moon”

MJ Lenderman’s Manning Fireworks Album Cover Artwork

PartyNextDoor announced the dates for his Sorry, I’m Outside Tour back in April to support the release of his new album, P4, which Uproxx’s Wongo Okon included in our Best R&B Albums of 2024 So Far.

The tour officially kicked off last week in Phoenix, and with a second show in San Diego, we know have a tour setlist, as compiled by fans who attended. You can see the setlist below, and even find a fan-made playlist on Spotify.

PartyNextDoor Setlist

01. “Lose My Mind”
02. “Cheers”
03. “For Certain”
04. “Sorry, But I’m Outside”
05. “Break From Toronto
06. “Wus Good/Curious”
07. “Right Now”
08. “With You” (Drake cover)
09. “Not Nice”
10. “Loyal”
11. “Wednesday Night Interlude” (Drake cover)
12. “Control”
13. “Thirsty”
14. “Real Woman”
15. “Freak In You”
16. “Make It To The Morning”
17. “Persian Rugs”
18. “No Chill”
19. “Just Might” (Summer Walker cover)
20. “Members Only” (Drake cover)
21. “Sex On The Beach”
22. “Work” (Rihanna cover)
23. “Recognize”
24. “Believe It”
25. “Resentment”
26. “Come And See Me”

PartyNextDoor: Sorry, I’m Outside 2024 Tour Dates

06/19 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
06/21 – San Diego, CA @ SOMA
06/23 – Las Vegas, NV @ LIV Nightclub Las Vegas^
06/27 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
07/1 – Oakland, CA @ The Fox Theater
07/3 – Seattle, WA @ The Paramount Theatre
07/5 – Vancouver, BC @ PNE Forum
07/7 – Calgary, AB @ Cowboys Music Festival*
07/9 – Edmonton, AB @ Midway Music Hall
07/12 – Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium
07/14 – Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom
07/15 – Houston, TX @ Bayou Music Center
07/18 – Atlanta, GA @ Coca-Cola Roxy
07/20 – Miami, FL @ Fillmore Miami Beach
07/23 – Orlando, FL @ House of Blues
07/25 – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore
07/27 – Washington, D.C. @ Broccoli City Festival*
07/30 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues
08/6 – Montreal, QC @ MTELUS
08/8 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount
08/11 – Wallingford, CT @ The Dome at Toyota Oakdale Theatre
08/13 – Philadelphia, PA -@The Fillmore
08/15 – Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed
08/18 – Detroit, MI @ Afro Nation Detroit*
^ Hosting date
* Festival date

We’re now just days away from the release of Camila Cabello’s upcoming album, C, XOXO. It’s set to drop this Friday, but before that, Cabello has unleashed a preview of “Uuugly,” which is one of two Drake collaborations on the album.

Cabello performed at Rock In Rio Lisboa yesterday (June 23), where she played the interlude track between songs (while bikers did tricks on stage, no less). It’s a brief, atmospheric tune that sees Drake delivering smooth sung vocals.

In a May interview, Cabello talked about working with Drake, saying, “He’s the f*cking GOAT, so it felt like shooting for the stars. I showed him the album when I felt comfortable enough and he really liked it. [The feature] came out of a non-transactional place. He had this idea of a song called ‘Hot Uptown,’ and it just felt like I was in the city. I was in Miami.”

She also spoke about “Uuugly,” saying, “Why does he have his own song? Because selfishly, I just want to hear Drake on my own album [laughs]. I love that for me — it’s like that rebellious mood. Who says I can’t do that? It’s Drake talking his sh*t.”

C, XOXO is out 6/28 via Geffen/Interscope. Find more information here.

Oy vey. Just when you thought Kendrick Lamar’s Pop Out concert in LA finally brought the fractious energy of early 2024 to its natural conclusion, another one of the many, many examples of rap beef this year resurfaced over the weekend to potentially keep the bad vibes rolling into the summer.

According to fans attending Latto’s Birthday Bash concert in Atlanta, the “Big Energy” rapper teased the title of her next album during the show. It’s supposedly called Sugar Honey Iced Tea, and here’s why fans think it has to do with Ice Spice and her beef with Latto. Latto later seemingly confirmed that she does have something by that name “OTW” and with a CD emoji attached, it does appear to be an album.

Obviously, the phrase “sugar honey iced tea” has long been used as an acronym for a certain bad word referring to poop. This is significant here because Ice Spice’s most successful Y2K! single this year so far has been “Think U The Sh*t (Fart),” which the Bronx native admitted is a diss song about Latto. While Latto already addressed Ice Spice with her own combative single, “Sunday Service,” fans have interpreted Latto’s album title as a direct response to Ice’s accusation, acknowledging that yes, she does think she is “the sh*t.”

Naturally, everyone is being very chill about this… oh, wait. No. Of course, they aren’t. In any event, you can watch Latto’s Birthday Bash in full up top, and check out just some of the reactions to her album’s potential title below.