The Music of 2025 So Far Featuring Japanese Breakfast

Tell Dem It's Sunny by Greentea Peng

Midwest Rock & Roll by Ryan Hurd

The Music of Tori and the Muses by Tori Amos

For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women) by Japanese Breakfast

A new band to me this is their fourth album in 9 years.  Japanese Breakfast is the solo project of Michelle Zauner who was in the band Little Big League when she split out to do her own thing.  It is a 10 track album that is very consistent and engaging.  I was immediately drawn into the music and the vibe of the album.  I was reading a bit about their music and they talked about the 80's influences, but this particular album feels very 2000's to me.  I hear the song Mega Circuit and I can't help but think of late 2000's Neko Case for instance.  

I am curious to go back and listen to some of her earlier music.  If you are in the mood for a very indie sounding pop/rock album that has a bit of a downer vibe to it then give this a listen.  If you are in the right frame of mind I think someone could really connect with this album.  

Wimbledon Update

Novak Djokovic defeats Father Time and Flavio Cobolli and advances to the semi-finals with a 6-7, 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 win.  So the semi-finals look like this:

MEN'S SEMI-FINALS:

(1) Jannik Sinner (ITA) v. (6) Novak Djokovic (SRB)

(2) Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) v. (5) Taylor Fritz

LADIES' SEMI-FINALS:

(1) Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) v. (13) Amanda Anisimova

(8) Iga Swiatek (POL) v. Belinda Bencic (SUI)

The Music of 2025 So Far Featuring The Weeknd

Inferno Ascendant by Neural Forge Innovations

 

Hurry Up Tomorrow by The Weeknd

This is The Weeknd's 6th album since releasing his first in 2013.  Four of those albums made it to number 1 on the US charts, the other two made it to number 2.  He has been extremely successful and when you put this album on you immediately know it's The Weeknd.  He has a sound.  A sound that works very well for him and he sticks with it.  There is variation in the sound, slight changes, enough to make it not get repetitive, but definitely a sound.  

As much as a part of me wants to knock this album for it sounding so The Weeknd, I can't because it's a consistently solid album.  No bad tracks, a few that really are hard to turn off and that gets us to a place where it's featured here on the Heath Post.

The one thing about The Weeknd that I find interesting is his ever dark moods.   He makes electronic, R&B infused music that has a dark edge to it always.  This particular album is 22 tracks and according to The Weeknd closes out a trilogy of albums with his last two:  After Hours (2020) and Dawn FM (2022).  I will admit I was unaware that the first two albums were connected and certainly didn't know this was the finale of a trilogy.  He has also said this may be his last album.  

If you like The Weeknd, definitely give the album a listen.  If you've never heard him before, well maybe should start with After Hours and do the trilogy.  I have to admit now I'm curious to try and connect these albums.  

 

 

Wimbledon Update

The quarter-finals at Wimbledon are set.  Here are the men's and ladies' draws (numbers in parenthesis represent seeding).  The Americans have two competitors left in the men's draw, and one left in the ladies' draw:

MEN'S SINGLES:

(1) Jannik Sinner (ITA) v. (10) Ben Shelton

(22) Flavio Cobolli (ITA) v. (6) Novak Djokovic (SRB)

(5) Taylor Fritz v. (17) Karen Khachanov (RUS)

Cameron Norrie (GBR) v. (2) Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)

LADIES' SINGLES:

(1) Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) v. Laura Siegemund (GER)

(13) Amanda Anisimova v. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)

(7) Mirra Andreeva (RUS) v. Belinda Bencic (SUI)

(8) Iga Swiatek (POL) v. (19) Liudmila Samsonova (RUS)

The FIBA U19 World Cup

Since 1979, FIBA has hosted 17 iterations of the Under-19 World Championship.  The latest iteration took place last week in Lausanne, Switzerland.  The Americans won the title.  It was their ninth win in 17 tries, and their sixth in the last nine.  It was a pretty easy tournament for the Americans, who were challenged only by Canada.  Here are the scores from the knockout stage:

ROUND OF SIXTEEN:

New Zealand 99, China 86

Switzerland 86, France 79 (OT)

Canada 100, Mali 75

United States 140, Jordan 67

Slovenia 81, Argentina 80

Israel 86, Cameroon 82

Germany 92, Serbia 83

Australia 106, Dominican Republic 96

QUARTER-FINALS:

New Zealand 84, Switzerland 70

United States 108, Canada 102

Slovenia 79, Israel 55

Germany 80, Australia 67

SEMI-FINALS:

United States 120, New Zealand 64

Germany 84, Slovenia 72

FINAL:

United States 109, Germany 76