The hottest Reviews Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

It’s Oscar Night!

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1507 implied HN points • 10 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Movies Reviews Criticism Romance Drama
  1. The Oscars ceremony might not be highly anticipated, but the lineup of movies competing for Best Picture is impressive.
  2. The movie 'American Fiction' provides a satirical take on identity politics in the context of a black writer's success with writing cliched storylines.
  3. In 'Oppenheimer,' director Christopher Nolan uses a unique structure to showcase the creation of the atomic bomb and the interplay of fusion and fission processes.

Purple Rage? A Book to Offend Almost Everyone

MILLER’S BOOK REVIEW 📚 • 1238 implied HN points • 03 Feb 24
📚 Literature Books Authors Reviews Themes Analysis
  1. Alice Walker's 'The Color Purple' is beloved, banned, and has won prestigious awards.
  2. The book faced controversy due to its explicit content, anti-religious sentiment, and depiction of domestic violence.
  3. Despite being a source of offense, the novel has deeply resonated with readers, including individuals who have experienced trauma.
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My Favorite Music of 2023

In the Flash • 884 implied HN points • 26 Dec 23
🎶 Music Reviews Recommendations Playlist
  1. The author shares their favorite music of 2023 including a variety of artists and genres.
  2. Music has played a significant role in the author's life, from childhood experiences to discovering new artists and albums.
  3. The post provides links to the Spotify playlist of the best music of 2023 and recommends other music writers on Substack.

Circle jerks: in praise of negativity

The Leftovers • 479 implied HN points • 19 Dec 23
📚 Literature Reviews Criticism Authors Book promotion
  1. Negativity in literary culture is often repressed, leading to toxic behaviors like sabotaging peers on platforms like Goodreads.
  2. Year-end book lists can sometimes involve favoritism and promotion rather than honest critique, affecting the authenticity of recommendations.
  3. Encouraging fair and open criticism among writers and reviewers is essential for a healthy literary discourse and reducing toxic behaviors.

First Floor #203 – Looking in the Mirror

First Floor • 176 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🎶 Music Reviews Electronic Music Journalism
  1. Many recent articles have highlighted challenges faced by music journalism, especially in the era of streaming and social media.
  2. Former Resident Advisor editor Ray Philp offers constructive criticism on music reviews and suggests potential improvements.
  3. Music journalists are exploring solutions to industry challenges, such as declining demand for music news and the evolving media landscape.

Tano Dragon

Computer Ads from the Past • 640 implied HN points • 31 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Computers History Reviews Operating System Bankruptcy
  1. Dragon Data Ltd was a Welsh company that released the Dragon 32 and Dragon 64 computers in the early 1980s.
  2. The Dragon 32 was known for using the Motorola MC6809E processor and included an extended version of Microsoft BASIC.
  3. Despite initial success, Dragon Data faced financial challenges, underwent ownership changes, and eventually filed for bankruptcy.

November 3 2023

S/FJ • 255 implied HN points • 03 Nov 23
🎶 Music Reviews Albums Music Industry
  1. The author worked on a piece about Ryuichi Sakamoto and a review of Teju Cole's work
  2. The new Black To Comm album is described as a nightmare but cathartic
  3. Hive Mind Records issues music from artists outside the English-speaking sphere with a unique perspective

An Unranked List of The Best (Recent/ish) Music Memoirs I Can Think of Right Now...

Sounds Good! • 58 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
🎶 Music Memoirs Authors Reviews Recommendations Insights
  1. The post shares an unranked list of recent music memoirs, highlighting some standout titles from the last decade.
  2. The list includes memoirs from a diverse range of musicians like Patti Smith, Chrissie Hynde, Grace Jones, Kim Gordon, and more.
  3. The author praises the storytelling, writing style, and depth in the memoirs, particularly highlighting the strong work by female authors in the music memoir genre.

State of the Nation

Fragmentary • 550 implied HN points • 22 May 23
📚 Literature Politics Writing Themes Reviews
  1. The author feels calm after book publication
  2. The political situation is described as chaotic and filled with nonsense fatigue
  3. The author dreams of living in a wood-frame passive house by a lake or sea, but worries about dramatic weather events

Audio Autopsy, 1985: Prefab Sprout, Paddy McAloon: Steve McQueen UK/Two Wheels Good US Album + 2023 Acoustic Vinyl

Front Row & Backstage • 353 implied HN points • 23 Jul 23
🎶 Music Albums Artists Genres Reviews Music Production
  1. The album 'Steve McQueen' by Prefab Sprout has an interesting history of different titles between the UK and the US.
  2. Prefab Sprout's music from the mid-'80s is considered sophisticated and beautiful, standing out from other popular music of that time.
  3. In 2023, an acoustic version of 'Steve McQueen' album was released in the US, bringing a new take on the classic songs.

Tales from the jar side: Uncensored Java AI, Pirate audio in text messages, LangChain4J used my video 😀, and the usual tweets and toots

Tales from the jar side • 39 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Programming Audio Documentation Reviews
  1. A Java project called the Ollama project allows you to run uncensored AI models locally, without sending data offsite.
  2. An application was created to generate pirate insults in audio files using the Twilio API and Text-to-Speech capability of OpenAI.
  3. LangChain4J, a competitor to Spring AI project, now has a website with tutorials, including a video featuring Ken Kousen.

3 Cool Paramount+ Originals I Saw While Flying Delta 

Textual Variations • 265 implied HN points • 24 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Reviews Streaming Television Entertainment Travel
  1. Flight streaming on Delta Airlines offers a unique way to watch limited but interesting TV shows and movies.
  2. Delta Airlines' partnership with Paramount Plus brings exclusive shows like 'Pink Ladies' and 'Star Trek Prodigy' to passengers.
  3. Shows like 'School Spirits' stand out as must-watch options with emotional depth and strong storytelling.

More on the Apple Vision Pro

thezvi • 11 HN points • 13 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Reviews Hardware Software Entertainment Productivity
  1. Reviews highlight the Apple Vision Pro's impressive entertainment features but express disappointment in its productivity capabilities.
  2. There are concerns raised about the weight, battery life, and setup process of the device.
  3. The potential for the Apple Vision Pro to excel in specific use cases, such as watching movies and immersive experiences, is noted, while its value for productivity is still uncertain.

The 20 Gigs I Reviewed in 2023:

Sounds Good! • 19 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
🎶 Music Reviews
  1. The author reviews gigs to capture moments and preserve them as a public record.
  2. Even though most reviews were planned as paid content, the author values the meaning behind complimentary tickets.
  3. The author is navigating new rules about sharing reviews when tickets are comped, learning as they go.

Reviews for December 2023

Record Crash • 19 implied HN points • 01 Jan 24
📚 Literature Reviews Fiction Author analysis
  1. The reviews cover a variety of media from TV shows to video games to fan fiction.
  2. The writer is critical of several works, pointing out flaws in storytelling and character development.
  3. There is an emphasis on unique and obscure content, with a mix of humor and detailed analysis.

Reviews for July 2023

Record Crash • 78 implied HN points • 02 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Reviews Movies TV shows
  1. Reviews for July 2023 cover multiple movies, TV shows, video games, and a gen-alpha YouTube show.
  2. The show 'The Sopranos' faced criticism for inconsistent character arcs and episode-level control.
  3. The game 'Ghost Trick' received high praise for its original gameplay and plot twists.

Metazoa

Eliot Peper • 98 implied HN points • 25 Jun 23
📚 Literature Books Authors Reviews Recommendations Writing
  1. Writing for yourself can lead to surprising results that resonate with others.
  2. Exploring scientific topics through literature can offer valuable insights into human nature.
  3. Sharing recommendations and feedback with others can enrich the collective cultural experience.