HITTING THE HARDWOOD
With the football season winding down, it's time for the sports world to turn its attention once again to the world of college hoops. Though it's fair to say that here in Spokane, that focus never wavers. That said, if you happen to be one of those fans who waits until February to start paying attention to Gonzaga basketball, you might want to check out the Inlander's KENNEL CORNER at inlander.com/zags. We've been keeping up to date with the Bulldogs' season through weekly online-only dispatches from Will Maupin, plus my occasional musings on the state of the team. While it's been an up-and-down season for GU, we at least hope the Kennel Corner coverage delivers on a more consistent basis than the Zags' guards. (SETH SOMMERFELD)
GUTTER BALL
The only book that's been getting any attention nowadays is Prince Harry's memoir, SPARE. The haunting cover of his icy, vacant eyes has been flashed on screens and lined up in bookstores wherever I go. If you follow the British royal family (or in this case, ex-royal family), you'll probably enjoy this for exactly what it is: a biography of the tumultuous life of the Duke of Sussex. However, the whole book comes off so privileged and... whiny. "I always got a smaller room than William!" Yeah, in a mansion. "I dressed up in a Nazi uniform, but it was William and Kate's idea!" Yeah, but you dressed up in a Nazi uniform. The little brother energy is too real. How can a guy who's lived a life like his write a book that's so boring? Not sure, but he accomplishes that through a whopping 410 pages of grown man-child musings. (MADISON PEARSON)
THIS WEEK'S PLAYLIST
Noteworthy new music arriving in stores and online on Jan. 27.
THE ARCS, ELECTROPHONIC CHRONIC. The neo-psychedelic garage rock side project of The Black Keys' frontman Dan Auerbach returns with its second LP, composed of tracks recorded in 2018 before the passing of drummer Richard Swift.
SAMI, HONEY. Sparse indie pop meets verbose very modern lyricism a la Phoebe Bridgers.
COMPLETE MOUNTAIN ALMANAC, COMPLETE MOUNTAIN ALMANAC. The National guitarists Aaron and Bryce Dessner team up with their songwriting sister Jessica and Nordic singer/composer Rebekka Karijord to craft 12 chamber folk suites about climate change. (SETH SOMMERFELD)
