Life and Art from FT Weekend

This week, we talk about the longstanding American rock band Sleater-Kinney and their 11th album, Little Rope, which came out this month. The band rose out of the grunge and riot grrrl movements in the late 1990s with a raw, rage-filled sound and feminist lyrics. And they’re one of the few all-women bands to have had a career this long. How has their sound evolved? And where did the angry countercultural music of the 90s go? Lilah is joined by FT's music critic Arwa Haider and FT Weekend Magazine editor Matt Vella.  -------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap, where she’s posting a photo of Breen and his burn book. You can email us at lifeandart@ft.com.-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – Little Rope by Sleater Kinney is available everywhere–Lilah, Matt and Arwa highly recommend the music video for their song ‘Say It Like You Mean It’: https://youtu.be/Vp2z1cL6qoU – Here are three of Arwa’s recent reviews: Tate McRae's pop album Think Later: https://on.ft.com/3HyfIxG, Dominique Dalcan's electronic album Last Night a Woman Saved My Life https://on.ft.com/3SuiXwi, Maluma's reggaeton album Don Juan: https://on.ft.com/3SvMCoG – Matt Vella is on X @mattvella. Arwa is @ArwaHaider  More or less: – Arwa wants more daytime raves, such as Annie Mac’s Before Midnight Party. The 90s raves she mentioned were Sunny Side Up, Everything But the Girl and Sunday Best– Matt wants to see more bad fakes, something that helps us improve our deepfake literacy. The FT Magazine article he mentioned by Tim Harford is here: https://on.ft.com/499eKDC – Lilah wants to go to more small local music venues. She went to the New York club Blue Note to see jazz singer Samara Joy. Watch out for Lilah’s interview with Samara in HTSI, and an episode with her here, in a few weeks!-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart-------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Clips courtesy of Loma Vista and Kill Rock Stars. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Harford discusses the idea of subtracting things in order to improve and enjoy more by doing less. He explores the concept of cognitive reframing and prioritizing reading, and reflects on the challenges of implementing subtraction in our lives.

This podcast explores the original Mean Girls movie and its impact on female representation. They discuss the portrayal of a bully and whether the new film adaptation was necessary. The speakers have mixed opinions on a recent movie remake, questioning its lack of differentiation. They emphasize the importance of new ideas and reading plays, while also mentioning the significance of Mean Girls in popular culture.

This podcast explores the Goenka network and their intense meditation retreats. Some participants rave about the retreats while others experience fear and a loss of identity. The host shares their own challenging experience at a meditation retreat and introduces the 'Untold: The Retreat' podcast from the Financial Times.

The fashion editor discusses the environmental impact of fashion and her experiment of buying only five new items of clothing and shoes in a year. She shares tips for buying fewer new clothes and recommends second-hand luxury platforms like TheRealReal and Vestiaire Collective. The podcast also explores the excessive consumption of fashion, the impact on the environment, and strategies for setting sustainable consumption goals.

In this podcast, the hosts discuss the classic rom-com 'Something's Gotta Give', exploring its themes of loneliness, relationships, and the evolving portrayal of older women in film. They also touch on the correlation between screenplays and divorce rates, online dating for older people, and the cultural impact of underrated filmmakers. Additionally, they express a desire for more comedy in culture and discuss their disappointment with the Peloton exercise craze.

A US banking editor shares his experience of visiting all 50 states during the pandemic, discussing motivations, unexpected moments, socioeconomic disparities, and recommendations for new places to visit.

This Friday, for our first episode of 2024, we discuss The Boy and The Heron, the latest film from legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki and his team at Studio Ghibli. It is the most expensive Japanese film ever made, and has received widespread critical acclaim. But what, exactly, is it about? Lilah chats through it with political columnist Stephen Bush and Leo Lewis, the FT’s Asia Business editor, who has co-written a book on anime. Is it about his past, or the future of animation? Where does it sit in the Studio Ghibli canon? And is Miyazaki ever really done?-------We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap. You can email her at lilah.raptopoulos@ft.com.-------Links (all FT links get you past the paywall): – The FT’s review of The Boy and the Heron is here: https://on.ft.com/3S47ZNS – Leo’s book on anime, co-authored with Roland Kelts, is called Japanamerica. His exclusive FT interview with Studio Ghibli’s Toshio Suzuki is here: https://on.ft.com/3TPuVBQ – Here’s a recent FT interview with Miyazaki’s closest collaborators: https://on.ft.com/47oXc56 – The other films we mentioned are Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Ponyo, Howl’s Moving Castle and Castle in the Sky– Stephen wants less expensive video games. He recommends the indie game I Was A Teenage Exocolonist– Lilah recommends the docuseries 10 years with Miyazaki, which is available for free on NHK World Japan, and Italianamerican, which is available on Max– Leo is on X @Urbandirt. Stephen Bush is @stephenkb– You can get a free trial to Stephen’s political newsletter Inside Politics – which includes a daily cultural recommendation – by clicking here-------Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart-------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner, Sam Giovinco and Simon Panayi.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Working It" explores the growing trend of people retraining as psychotherapists in the UK during the pandemic. Isabel Berwick speaks to Bethan Staton, FT writer, who delves into the motivations behind this phenomenon. Michael Skapinker, a former FT reporter turned counsellor, shares his insights and regrets for not pursuing it sooner. The podcast examines the changing attitudes towards therapy, access to counseling, and the challenges and appeal of being a psychotherapist.

In this podcast, the hosts explore Beyoncé's concert film 'Renaissance' and discuss the impact of her perfectionism. They then dive into the film 'May, December' and praise the performances of Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore. The hosts also discuss the genius of Dr. Seuss's 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' and share their favorite Seuss books. The podcast concludes with reflections on a famous children's book author and the documentary 'Paris is Burning'.