The music news of the week is that Mac Miller’s estate has released Circles, the album he’d been working on just before he died. It captures Miller’s mind space in the midst of addiction, exploring his pain and, crucially, his efforts to see light shining through struggle. It’s a tough listen, given what we know to be its outcome, but it’s also a lovely piece of work. Start out with the gentle warmth of the single, “Good News,” and take your time with the rest.
If you’ve had your eye trained at all on the Vatican, you know that Catholicism has been grasping for relevancy. You’ve got the emoji bible, the scripture apps, the rock-star-level Papal tour. Recently, the church has outdone itself with— wait for it— a smart rosary. The connected bracelet pairs with your phone to pull up prayers for you to read, then tracks your reps like a Fitbit, logging your progress and reminding you to supplicate when it’s been too long. It’s a clear win for the forgetfully devout, and a blow to children who’ve learned to “pray” unattended. (Sure, God can see everything, but now parents can, too.)
It’s sort of unbelievable that “The Two Popes” wasn’t funded by the Vatican. One of the current standout Netflix Originals, the film tells the story of the friendship that develops between unlikely allies Benedict and Francis when Benedict was stepping down from the post. What at first seems like improbable subject matter reveals itself as the perfect modern-day fantasy, where influential ideological opposites connect on small pleasures like soccer, in addition to huge responsibilities like public figuredom. That lovely picture humanizes both its individual characters and the Papacy, all while stroking all of our political yearnings. So as it turns out, the takeaway is less “go get baptized” than “give us an Oscar.”
Fair point, everyone, it’s January, and it seems reasonable to spend 60% of your time asleep, never mind spiritual fit-bitting. For those of you with things to do, here’s a little cheat code: caffeine. A Verb Bar packs as much caffeine as an espresso into a tasty little 90-calorie oat bar made with tasties like maple and blueberry. Lucky for you, you can try Verb’s top 4 flavors for free– just cover $0.95 for shipping. Get ’em here.