#42: Tyler, Alex, and Serey (Perfectly Imperfect)
Perfectly Imperfect on Brain Dead Sunglasses, Ecco2k, Meditation, and more
Welcome to Perfectly Imperfect #42!
The Perfectly Imperfect Discord has been poppin!! It’s been so great chatting with everyone and exchanging recs, so thanks for joining! We’ve decided to make it invite-only to avoid trolls, but just send a quick DM to @perfectlyimperfect.newsletter or @tubbytyinthetub and we’ll let you in 😎 ✨
Without further ado
Tyler Bainbridge (instagram, letterboxd, last.fm)
🎵 Scott Walker - Scott 4 (1969)
Scott Walker’s magnum opus opens with the perfect introduction, an epic retelling of Ingmar Bergman’s 1957 film, The Seventh Seal, that is quite possibly Scott’s best song. And like its opening track, the rest of this LP is filled to the brim with luscious arrangements & melancholy melodies that sit beautifully over the swelling strings. Scott 4 is a masterpiece that could have only been made by the king of Baroque Pop.
This visually stunning documentary follows a few fascinating characters living in America's largest retirement community, The Villages. Despite what you may expect from a doc executive produced by Darren Aronofsky, Some Kind of Heaven rarely feels condescending towards the "Disneyland for Retirees" or it's inhabitants, rather, it thoughtfully examines why so many people chose to spend their twilight years there.
Combining existential dread, bold direction, and Burt Lancaster in a tiny bathing suit, The Swimmer is a delightfully weird little movie from the 60s, about the 60s. This surreal film follows a man who emerges from the woods & decides to "swim" home by taking a dip in his neighbor's pools along the way. Throughout his journey we learn more about this mysterious man from his interactions with others and what unfolds is a hypnotic breakdown of suburbia, nostalgia, and status.
🤯 😎 Brain Dead "Tani" Sunglasses
These post-modern shades from Brain Dead are probably the most complimented thing I own. Back in July I copped these guys in “tortoise” and I just snagged the exact same style in “amber” after they restocked. A unique n' fun shape that can add some subtle weirdness to an otherwise simple fit.
🌶️ S&B Chili Oil with Crunchy Garlic
We've had quite a few chili crisp recs on the newsletter so far, however I haven't seen my personal favorite mentioned! When I picture what I want out of chili crisp it's deep umami flavor, some heat, and delicious lil pieces of crispy garlic— that's exactly what you get here. This is probably controversial, but this chili crisp makes Lao Gan Ma's flavor feel mild in comparison 🤷♂️. Throw it on some crispy rice with an egg & you'll have my favorite WFH lunch.
This photo book captures one of the greatest Hip Hop Acts of all time, Beastie Boys, through the lens of close friend and frequent collaborator, Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, Her, Adaptation etc). I love the vibe of this whole thing, it’s all super intimate slice of life stuff— from BTS of iconic music videos such as Sabotage, live performances, or just hanging around someone's apartment. This book is an ode to friends creating art together and having fun.
❗ Cut for time
Fresh single from Goat Girl, Sound of Metal (2020), and Roaring 20s - Flo Mili
Alex Cushing (instagram, last.fm, goodreads)
This film focuses heavily on the mood and feel. From shots of the French Riviera's rocky shore, to the sprawling fields by the Villa, you're constantly treated with the beauty of nature. In stark contrast to nature's simple & easy beauty, the characters range from narcissistic to "Bohemian" (as described in the movies summary). The plot here focuses on the 3 people vacationing in this villa, 2 friends Adrien & Daniel, and an unwelcome guest Haydée — dubbed the collector of men. Told from Adrien's perspective, you get to experience his mental contradictions first-hand as he battles through what he says he wants, and what you, as a viewer, know he wants. Éric Rohmer’s La Collectionneuse is a great character study, with the excellent bonus of being beautifully shot and extremely vibey.
David Sedaris is a comedian, author, general humorist, who brings all that talent to his books with masterful skill. A friend recently suggested I check some of his work out, so I hopped on google and ended up picking the one that looked slightly familiar: Calypso (was it just familiar because of the good old "making a face out of knots in a plank of wood" we've all pictured before, like seeing animals in the clouds?). As it turns out, this was a fantastic recommendation. Sedaris goes from true story to true story, weaving humor and genuine intrigue and interest into easily consumable chapters that can all be read separately or on their own. If you enjoy humor but don't want to read "comics", or you really just want to read something fun, I definitely recommend this book. Even if you don't feel like committing to the whole thing, pick a few chapters and read ‘em!
I read this book almost 2 years ago now, and it's been a book I find myself thinking about on and off randomly when just sitting and drinking my morning mud™️. It's the tale of Circe, a daughter of gods, and her battle with the gods' perspective on "mortals" and her own in contrast. This story bends genres, between mythical fantasy/folk tale, family drama, and romance. Circe feels like a classic folk tale you might read while researching Greek history, and stays true to the mythology while keeping its very readable appeal.
E is one of those albums I find myself revisiting way more than I would have thought. Drain Gang artist Ecco2k blesses us with a beautiful atmospheric journey, with standouts like Peroxide and Calcium, but don't stop there. The whole album flows beautifully and is best experienced wholly. Throw on some noise cancellers and escape into the wild & weird journey that is E.
📣. Shoutouts
Defective Garments
New blue pigment released, a look into it and its presence on the black market (shoutout Jimi for sending that article👀)
Serey Morm (instagram, twitter, vsco)
I'm not really much of a re-watcher, but I always find myself replaying random episodes of this show. Whether it's growing up as an immigrant, living in the city, navigating relationships, this show hits almost every different aspects of life that everyone can relate to. Season One took place in the city, and covered different times in the character's life, but I gotta tell ya, Season Two, takes place in Italy, and it hits different. Season Two kind of evolved into a different show, but I really really enjoyed turn that it took. Oh, and the reason why I'm so stoked to rec this 4 years after Season Two ended is because Season Three is in the works!!
🧘♀️ The Miracle of Mindfulness
During stressful times, at one point in our life, we arrive at meditation to try to keep our minds at bay. For a lot of people in this day in age, it starts with guided meditations through apps like Headspace. I haven't tried Headspace personally, but I've heard mixed reviews where it has or hasn't worked. I feel like anything that lives in my phone is an automatic distraction for me. I personally started meditating through a book recommended by a friend, The Miracle of Mindfulness, written by Thich Nhat Hanh, a world-renowned monk who is also a peace activist. What really reeled me in was that it covered the whys in why we meditate, and it inspired me to learn more and practice it everyday. Whether you've unsuccessfully trialed meditation or haven't at all, I highly recommend learning to meditate through a book like this one :)
This is one of the items on household menu that makes a comeback at least once every two weeks. Hot take though? This is like a Thanksgiving dinner done in an hour, but better. Also, did you know that a whole chicken is under $10? Anyways, Adam Ragusea is one of my favorite people on Youtube because he bases his cooking philosophy around not having to weigh or measure things. To me, I think it's one of the most painful things about cooking something new for the first time. This is very forgiving recipe, and you're nearly guaranteed an easy and delicious chicken dinner.
A nightly tradition of mine is to unwind by scrolling through photography work on social media platforms, mainly VSCO and Instagram. One of my favorite artists of all time is adventure and travel photographer Forrest Mankins. I mean literally every single one of his shots that he shares on a weekly basis are so beautiful. His work stood out to me because of his story of how he left everything behind at age 19, with his old truck and followed his passion for traveling, adventure, and photography. Forrest is my Twitter and Instagram feed cleanser on a daily basis, I highly recommend following him!
🗞 Extra! Extra!
Trader Joe's Strawberry Oat Ice Cream — shout out to the lactose intolerant homies, this one is it
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