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Irish Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Haim: I Quit review – Ferociously catchy, satisfyingly grudge-bearing
I Quit Artist : Haim Label : Polydor Rock music arrives at the quarter mark of the 21st century in a strange place. To the extent that anything interesting is happening, it is largely in the margins. Out in the daylight this is the era of the big beasts of antiquity: Oasis on the comeback trail, the middle-aged happy chappies Coldplay making it their mission to sprinkle the world in figurative and literal confetti, U2 trying to work out what to do next. Significantly, the most streamed band on Spotify are Imagine Dragons, a pop act with a passing familiarity with guitars. Thank goodness, then, for Haim. There is something hugely cheering about the return of these three sisters from the San Fernando Valley, in southern California, whose bittersweet soft rock is proof that, between the indie underground and the stadium cash grab, there is still a third way. Since their debut, a decade ago, they have championed such delightfully old-fashioned values as sun-kissed guitar anthems fuelled by heartache, melancholy and zinging melodies that insist on being hummed aloud. READ MORE They've also had to overcome being dismissed as pop fodder early in their careers. Still, in their teens they resisted attempts to turn them into a chart group dancing to the tune of behind-the-scenes producers and composers. 'We were scouted as teenagers, and it was kind of a horror story,' Este , the eldest of the sisters, told Irish journalists in 2014. 'It was terrible; we were turned off the business for a while. The songs were already written – they only wanted us to play. That was an instructive experience. Immediately we were, like, 'From now on we will write all our own stuff.'' To paraphrase their musical heroes Fleetwood Mac, they were determined to go their own way. That journey moves up to the next level on their ferociously catchy and satisfyingly grudge-bearing fourth album, I Quit. Showcasing the wonderfully vituperative songwriting of Danielle Haim , the middle sister – she's had her heart broken, and you're going to hear all about it – it makes the bold statement that rock music can be catchy and cathartic without pandering to the lowest common denominator. With Danielle producing alongside the former Vampire Weekend member Rostam Batmanglij, I Quit exits the traps at speed. All Over Me is a steamy chunk of acoustic funk whose narrator dreams of healing their broken heart with a quick hook-up. Take Me Back, meanwhile, is chiming folk pop that bubbles with retro goodness, recalling at moments Joni Mitchell and REM. The album's title is a reference to the band's mission statement of not being caught in a rut. The goal is 'quitting something that isn't working for us any more', according to Alana Haim (who is best known outside the band for starring in Paul Thomas Anderson's Liquorice Pizza ). Nor is it entirely a Danielle show. Este takes lead vocals on Cry, the most country-oriented moment on the epic 15-track run time. ('Seven stages of grief and I don't know which I'm on,' she croons in a lyric that draws from the big book of country-rock cliches.) A youthful vivacity runs through the project – a consequence, they have revealed, of the three sisters all being single for the first time since high school. 'I think it really brought up this nostalgic [feeling] for the last time we were single, when I was, like, 14, 15, 16,' Alana told BBC Radio. 'It's just been amazing to kind of, like, go back and relive those times [and] get back into it.' There is little in the way of surprises – aside from one curveball at the end, when Now It's Time samples the U2 song Numb, a highlight from the days when Bono and friends were more interested in pushing themselves sonically than putting bums on seats. It is a haunting reminder of the more experimental band U2 might have been and a winning conclusion to a charming LP. Haim could never be accused of blazing originality: this is a great album forged from the DNA of other great albums. But it is catchy, brash and bittersweet – and refuses to take prisoners. With so much going on, I Quit is an urgent call to the world not to give up on rock quite yet.
CBS News
4 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
For some Californians, high transportation costs put owning a car out of reach
Los Angeles — Getting to work is work for Franchescoli Andrade, who rides his bike, hops on a train and then takes a bus every day. His 20-mile journey from South Los Angeles to the San Fernando Valley takes about 90 minutes each way. "Half an hour just to get to downtown, to get to the train station, then another half-an-hour just to get from the train station to get here, and then the bus will take me straight to my job," Andrade told CBS News. "I would do this journey every day just to get my family through." His journey was easier when he had a car. But following a crash, fixing it just cost too much for Andrade, who is the sole provider for his family. "It's almost like a struggle, every paycheck," Andrade said. To cut down on daycare costs, his wife stays at home with their young son. "It's heart wrenching, you know," Andrade said. "Because it makes me feel like I'm not enough, you know, as a human. Like, I'm not really doing much." Andrade's family's struggles mirror that of millions in California. According to a study released earlier this year from the nonprofit United Way, 35% of California households — or about 3.8 million households — do not make enough to afford basic costs of living, such as rent, groceries and gas. United Way CEO Pete Manzo says the study is just a snapshot of a national problem. "It's a crisis we've been living with," Manzo told CBS News. "It's like we're running a high fever. We have too many households where people are working hard and they can't earn a decent standard of living." One of the biggest challenges is access to transportation. AAA says the cost of owning a new car — including monthly payments, insurance, maintenance and fuel — runs more than $12,000 per year for the average American household. "You're basically saying to a family, it's going to be a $1,000 a month or more to get to and from work, to get to and from school," Manzo said. "It's not cheap." The costs may not be as high in some other states as in California. But nationwide, taking into account inflation, the financial burden of transportation is steadily rising, along with housing and childcare, United Way analysis has found. Manzo says that advising families in California to move somewhere more affordable isn't necessarily a practical solution. "For one family, that might be a decent idea," Manzo said. "But it's pretty disruptive to just pick up and leave all your other family relationships and all your community ties to move somewhere to make it them all to move somewhere cheaper just doesn't make sense." For now, Andrade is saving up to afford a car for his family. "They tell me, you know, don't give up, you got this."
CBS News
5 days ago
- CBS News
Authorities in pursuit of narcotics suspect in San Fernando Valley
Authorities are in pursuit of a narcotics suspect in the San Fernando Valley. It's unclear why the chase began. This is a developing story. Check back for details.
Daily Mail
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The tell-tale sign that Tom Selleck, 80, is refusing to look his age after devastating Blue Bloods cancellation
Tom Selleck may have lost his job but it looks like he's intent on keeping the gray out of his hair. When 80-year-old Tom showed up at his local McDonald's in LA's San Fernando Valley for his regular combo of burger and soda his DIY dye job was all too evident – not just in his locks but on his ear too! The same dark coloring appeared as a black mark on his cartilage, while his beard was more salt than pepper. Selleck is proving that he will not go quietly into the night following CBS's decision to pull the plug on Blue Bloods after a remarkable 14-year run. Selleck was so shaken by the network's decision to axe the show he starred on for more than a decade that one insider told that the decision brought him to tears and left him weighing legal action. Since then, he has retreated to his 63-acre idyllic Thousand Oaks compound, nestled near the western border of Los Angeles County. Tom showed up at his local McDonald's in LA's San Fernando Valley for his regular combo of burger and soda Selleck appears to have dyed his hair recently with the dark stains on his ear's cartilage Now, post-retirement, he's often spotted on the drive-through line of the McDonald's in San Fernando Valley, where he was pictured by Daily Mail. Seated behind the wheel of his white Ram 1500, Selleck looked noticeably weary – his cheeks and nose flushed, his expression solemn and downcast. His appearance has changed dramatically since he played esteemed police commissioner Frank Reagan on Blue Bloods. Instead of his trademark mustache he has a mostly white shaggy beard and his hair curling at the ends with the unmistakable signs of a fresh dye job. The black mark on his ears was a sign he hadn't wiped the dye off quickly enough. His rep did not return a request for comment. Selleck's appearance has shifted dramatically from the confident persona he embodied as the esteemed police commissioner on Blue Bloods After the fast food run, Selleck headed to an office building before retreating to the the estate he purchased for $5million from crooner Dean Martin in 1988. The property has a reported 1,500 trees and an array of other greenery, much of which Selleck planted himself during his 37 years on the property That same year he purchased his beloved home, his iconic eight-year role in Magnum, P.I. came to an end and he welcomed daughter Hannah, now 36, with new wife Jillie Mack, who he had married 12 months prior. The couple have stayed together and are also parents to Kevin, 59, Selleck's son with his ex-wife, former actress and model Jacqueline Ray. A particular favorite of Selleck's are wildflowers, which he has seeded throughout the sprawling, wooded oasis. He often checks on the most recent blooms by riding through on his ATV. 'When it's coldest, one of them blooms and another one comes in,' he said. 'I know it sounds stupid, but I just watch them grow.' The actor previously revealed he handles much of the upkeep on the property himself. 'My relationships and my ranch keep me sane,' he told People in 2020. Before Selleck turned his estate into a wildflower oasis, it was an avocado farm until drought killed most of the 100-year-old trees as well as several giant oaks. But even the estate may not be able to mask the heartbreak of losing his run on Blue Bloods, which followed 14 seasons of the tight-knit Reagan family, many of whom worked for the NYPD under the leadership of his character. Six months after the finale in December, Selleck is still so 'livid' about the show's cancellation that insiders say he is weighing taking legal action against CBS for ageism, after the network approved plans for a spin-off entitled Boston Blue that stars Donnie Wahlberg, 55, whose character – Frank Reagan's son Danny – takes a job in the Boston Police Department. 'Tom is considering suing CBS for ageism over canceling Blue Bloods and spinning it off,' our insider said. 'He is absolutely livid about it, especially as ratings were strong when it was canceled.' Selleck's sentiment is shared by loyal fans who went as far as launching a petition drive last year calling on CBS to reverse its decision to axe the show, but the network wouldn't budge. Members of Facebook groups dedicated to the show are now urging Selleck to join the Boston Blue spin-off, due to premiere in the fall. But the actor is said to still feel bitter at being 'screwed over' by the broadcasting network. 'Donnie would like to get everyone back to make cameos, including Tom – but he is still angry that Blue Bloods was canceled,' a second insider told the 'If Tom was asked to play his character again, he would probably say no because he is so mad with CBS. He wouldn't want CBS to benefit, since he feels they screwed him over.' Wahlberg's decision to front the spin-off – which he will also executive produce – was no surprise after he previously claimed he wanted Blue Bloods to emulate the success of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. Despite Selleck's alleged claims of ageism, the actor has noticeably slowed down due to his weight gain and reports of a persisting limp. The rumors surrounding Selleck needing a knee replacement erupted in July of last year when he was spotted having 'trouble walking' back to his car, in footage obtained by the now-defunct In Touch Weekly. But in the Summer of 2023, his representative denied claims that he was suffering from 'a secret medical crisis that has forced him to use a stunt double while filming Blue Bloods' or that he was battling 'crippling arthritis'. Despite the swirling health concerns, with his consistent check from Blue Bloods being slashed, the actor has voiced his fear of losing his beloved ranch. 'Tom still has to work to maintain his lifestyle,' the insider added earlier this month. 'He would have preferred to do that with Blue Bloods but since that's no longer an option, he's trying to figure out the best way to move forward because the cancellation was a death to him.' 'To have that upheaval at 80 years old was a major slap in the face.'
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Prep talk: Michael Wynn Jr. continues the family tradition at quarterback
Michael Wynn, left, who was a star quarterback at San Fernando, with his son, Michael Jr., a standout senior quarterback at St. Genevieve. (Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times) During his days as an All-City quarterback at San Fernando High during the 1980s, Michael Wynn was considered one of the best athletes in the San Fernando Valley. Now his son, Michael Jr., enters his senior year at St. Genevieve hoping to show everyone he can play quarterback as well as his father once did and perhaps be an even better passer. The younger Wynn is coming off a junior season in which the Valiants switched to using four receivers to take advantage of his athleticism. He passed for 2,014 yards and 24 touchdowns with just one interception. Aided by a year's experience running the offense, look for Wynn to be even better this fall. He had seven touchdowns running, so he's got some of his father's speed. Advertisement St. Genevieve coach Billy Parra is expecting big things from Wynn, who's 6 feet, 200 pounds and gaining in confidence. … June is a big month for seven-on-seven passing competitions. Western in Anaheim is hosting an event on Saturday that includes defending Southen Section Division 1 champion Mater Dei. Simi Valley is also hosting a competition for mainly Ventura County schools. … Championship games in baseball and softball will be played on Saturday at home sites to determine Southern California regional champions. Here's the schedule. This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email Advertisement Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
