Brash

Toby Keith, who injected Nineties and 2000s country music with an unapologetic dose of patriotism and an unrelenting swagger in songs like “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American),” “How Do You Like Me Now?!” and “Who’s Your Daddy?”, has died at 62 following a diagnosis of stomach cancer. Keith’s family confirmed the death on social media, writing that the musician “passed peacefully” on Feb. 5 and was “surrounded by his family.” “He fought his fight with grace and courage,” they wrote. The…

In the 2012 female-led American comedy Pitch Perfect, an Asian-American character named Lilly is introduced as a shy, softly spoken aspiring singer. Lilly isn’t just quiet – her voice barely rises above a whisper. And as her bandmates throw their energy around, she is mostly in the background, with her reserved presence played for laughs.It was a small role, but it spoke volumes. On screen and in the wider Western culture, women of Asian descent have long been tagged with the tropes of meekness and obedience – the good…

Happy Friday the 13th! The Jason Voorhees faithful may end up waiting forever for that long-promised 13th Friday the 13th movie, and the new Friday the 13th prequel series coming to Peacock won’t hit until later this year. But the good news is that there are 12 other Fridays to watch in the meantime.Read more... Happy Friday the 13th! The Jason Voorhees faithful may end up waiting forever for that long-promised 13th Friday the 13th movie, and the new Friday the 13th prequel series coming to Peacock won’t hit until…

The effect of Covid on British pop music has proved a curious thing. The expected glut of pandemic pop – introverted music powered by loneliness, woe at the state of the world and existential dread – never materialised. Instead, pop looked outward: perhaps as a natural reaction to the privations of the times, or perhaps, more pragmatically, taking note that the big hits during lockdown suggested audiences weren’t terribly interested in wallowing in what had happened. The past few years have been dancefloors and disco…

As a teenager back in 2015, Omar Banos – known as Cuco – emerged with a tender voice and atmospheric, introspective bedroom pop. While this second album is rooted in exploring his inner world, it also finds the Mexican American singer-songwriter and producer more exacting in his sound. Occasionally, things can feel a little sanguine. The narration on the opening track framing this as a concept album is somewhat corny, while Aura’s refrain of “Do you wanna come home with me/ Do you wanna get lost with me tonight?” borders…

At a glanceExpert’s Rating ProsUnique, eye-catching designImpressive dual rear cameraWireless chargingConsAverage performanceBelow average battery lifeA little buggyOur VerdictThe Nothing Phone (1) isn’t the smartphone revolution we were promised, but it is an impressive, affordable Android phone with respectable specs. The incandescent design won’t be to everyone’s taste, but you can’t call it boring. It’s hard to imagine that any company releasing its first smartphone could generate the hype that Nothing has for the…