This week we noticed some sheep, sang some songs, and performed some Zelda.

Here is what the NPR’s Pop Tradition Joyful Hour crew was taking note of — and what it’s best to try this weekend.

The Soundtrack Present

What’s making me pleased this week is that this podcast known as The Soundtrack Present. This can be a podcast that goes deep into analyzing movie scores. It is written and hosted by this man named David Collins, who I imagine is a sound designer and a voice actor. It is again with a multipart collection about John Williams’ rating for E.T., and it is like transcendently good. This present simply … I’m, like, exploding head emoji the entire time I am listening to it, as a result of he goes so deep on music principle and orchestration and the way the music helps the storytelling, and the way this music pertains to music and different movies. … And the E.T. collection, I’d say, is a good level to leap in, as a result of it’s simply one of many all-time nice movie scores. And I really noticed John Williams conduct his personal music with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra a few months in the past, and he performed a bit little bit of E.T. and I simply, like, floated into house. I used to be so pleased to listen to it.

– Wailin Wong

Reservation Canine

Devery Jacobs as Elora, Paulina Alexis as Willie, and Zahn McClarnon as Large in Reservation Canine

Shane Brown/ FX on Hulu

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Shane Brown/ FX on Hulu

Devery Jacobs as Elora, Paulina Alexis as Willie, and Zahn McClarnon as Large in Reservation Canine

Shane Brown/ FX on Hulu

What’s making me pleased this week is that FX launched their summer season premiere schedule, and what I at the moment care about most is the third season of Reservation Canine. And I say that as a result of I am writing about Reservation Canine proper now and I am revisiting the second season and it’s simply taking me on such a curler coaster of emotion.

These 4 mates are simply actually going by way of it in Season 2 as they proceed to take care of just like the grief of dropping their fifth good friend member as they take care of form of rising up, getting jobs, attempting to determine in the event that they wish to stay on the reservation for the remainder of their lives or in the event that they wish to transfer away. So there’s all that like actually nuanced writing and appearing that’s taking place inside this ensemble.

However there are additionally these episodes that… as a result of they’ve established this world of Oklahoma, and since they’ve established these characters, the present is keen to get bizarre and foolish. So there is a standalone episode in regards to the aunties of this group. There’s an episode in regards to the police character performed by Zahn McClarnon. And I feel it is actually value catching up on Seasons 1 and a pair of as a result of Season 3 is coming in August, and I simply suppose it is probably the greatest exhibits on TV.

– Roxana Hadadi

Delusions of Grandeur and Weight for It

What’s making me pleased this week are two podcasts. The primary is named Delusions of Grandeur. It’s a “Star Wars” Novel Recap podcast. It’s in regards to the “Star Wars” novels which have been launched from the canon as of 2014, when Disney removed all of that backstory that lots of people grew up with. Hosts Emily Gadek and Kelly Hardcastle Jones are literally going by way of a few of their favorites, they usually’re recapping every ebook and simply speaking in regards to the vastness of the “Star Wars” universe.

And the second is one which’s a bit nearer to my coronary heart. It’s known as Weight for It. It’s a podcast that I’ve written and produced that’s popping out later this summer season, and it’s about navigating a fats phobic world in a fats physique, and what that is like. It is telling the tales and unpacking the main points, in search of love, discovering an airplane seat, the entire little indignities that come daily with dwelling life in a bigger physique. I am very excited. It comes out on August fifth, however the trailer and feed is up now, so go subscribe.

– Ronald Younger Jr.

The Act of Pleasure

Janelle Monáe attends the ninety fifth Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, Calif.

Arturo Holmes/Getty Photos

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Arturo Holmes/Getty Photos

Janelle Monáe attends the ninety fifth Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, Calif.

Arturo Holmes/Getty Photos

Effectively, what’s making me pleased this week is that my crush, my woman, Janelle Monáe is again. She’s again as a musical artist. And look, she’s been doing her factor and appearing for the final a number of years. She was in Glass Onion, after all. And look, she’s a multi-hyphenate. She will do just about something she needs. However I’ve missed her within the music scene. And now she’s again with a brand new album that is popping out in June known as The Age of Pleasure. It is her first album in 5 years since Soiled Pc, and her new video slash track, “Lipstick Lover” … it is scorching. She seems to be nice. She co-directed the video together with Alan Ferguson. It seems to be like a house film from the Nineteen Sixties and Nineteen Seventies. The style is on level. It is positively not secure for work, however I like it. I really like how she’s form of flourished and, you recognize, change into much more open about her sexuality. I additionally simply suppose the track is de facto nice. It is bought massive summer season vibes.

– Aisha Harris

Extra suggestions from the Pop Tradition Joyful Hour publication

By Glen Weldon

Eurovision was final Saturday. I wrote a preview for it. Subsequent yr, Peacock will seemingly broadcast the semi-finals on the Tuesday and Thursday earlier than the finals, because it’s completed for the previous two years, and I would extremely suggest watching them. They add a lot context to the Grand Last when you’ll be able to evaluate a rustic’s Saturday efficiency to the one they did to qualify. Be the unbearable man at your Eurovision watch get together who says issues like “She blew the whistle observe!” (Norway) or “Within the semi, he went up an octave on ‘hu-man TOUCH!’ however right here he simply whispered it. That is both an excessive amount of partying or too many nerves” (Australia).

We’ll speak about The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom in an upcoming PCHH episode, however for now simply know that I am over right here making my kludgy Tinkertoy rafts that hardly float and considering myself a talented engineer whereas different people are developing tanks and mechs and inner combustion engines. (Kidding in regards to the engines, however critically – give it every week.)

Oscar season is over, the Tonys could or could not go on, however Eisner Award season is eternally. Plenty of nice comics in these nominations, hie thee to your native comedian store with this checklist as a information.

Amid the fervor round Succession‘s upcoming finale, and the darkish, darkish magic that’s being wrought on Barry because it is available in for its personal touchdown, one other HBO Sunday night time present is holding its head down, doing the nice work, and delivering quietly spectacular episodes. Do not sleep on Any individual Someplace, folks.

The Finest Present with Tom Scharpling is nice, and this episode options a few of the forged and crew of Jury Obligation (additionally nice!) and SCTV‘s Joe Flaherty (the best)! Scharpling will get to inform Flaherty about struggling to remain awake on Friday nights so he might watch SCTV, and the way it appeared focused to his particular comedy sensibilities. Tom speaks for a terrific many people.

NPR’s Tilda Wilson tailored the Pop Tradition Joyful Hour section “What’s Making Us Joyful” right into a digital web page. Should you like these solutions, take into account signing up for our publication to get suggestions each week. And hearken to Pop Tradition Joyful Hour on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.