Culture Hound SF: April 2016

Welcome to Culture Hound, InsideHook’s deep dive into the month’s most important (pop) cultural happenings.

Stream: The music of David Lynch
No Twin Peaks revival until 2017, but we can appreciate David Lynch’s oeuvre right now, at least sonically. First: a double live album of Lynch soundtrack covers, as performed by the Flaming Lips, Karen O, Lykke Li, Jim James and Moby. Then, for Record Store Day, a double LP (2000 copies on red/blue vinyl) from indie artist Xiu Xiu that reimagines the Twin Peaks soundtrack as something both dreamier and creepier. (April 15 and 16)

Consider: Geopolitics at the SF Green Film Fest
There are a ton of great films in this year’s study of all things environmental, but the standout for us is Sunday’s screening of An American Ascent, a documentary about a nine-person team of African-American mountaineers bagging the highest peak in America. Scott Briscoe, of Expedition: Denali, will be on hand for questions. (April 17)

Admire: Gisele Bündchen
Dubbed “The Body” by Alexander McQueen, the beautiful Brazilian model is the (occasionally nude) subject of a breathtaking new photo retrospective. Originally available only as a $1,000+ limited edition, this new hardcover will only run you $70, and all proceeds, per Bündchen’s wishes, go to charity. You’re helping the world by looking at this. (Available this month)

Rabble Rouse: Arlo Guthrie
It certainly seems like the season for consciousness-building, on either side of the political aisle. Spend an evening with one of the originals, Arlo Guthrie, as he performs the entirety of his 18-minute anti-war (or, in his words, “anti-stupidity”) anthem, “Alice’s Restaurant,” as well as other classics from his long, politically minded career. A handful of seats are still available. (April 9)

Listen: M83
The French band’s new disco-glazed single “Do It, Try It” was a bit jarring on first listen … until those glorious synths washed over us a minute-thirty in. With tracks like the dreamy, organ-drenched “Solitude” veering into Pink Floyd territory, a surprise contribution from Beck, a new keyboardist who was literally crowdsourced and an overall theme of “being inspired by Punky Brewster and Who’s the Boss?” … well, hey, go ahead and disrupt us.

Support: Art
And your walls, with a ticket to Art Market SF, which kicks off its five-day run on April 27 with a Benefit Preview Reception (hors d’oeuvres will be served). All other details are to come — but we can say we’ll be looking closely at a number of the exhibiting galleries, including Oakland’s Johannson Projects and out-of-town guests like Calgary’s Newzone. (April 27-May 1)

Stream: Our April Playlist
Our curated new music soundtrack for April, featuring buzzy country newcomer Sturgill Simpson, instrumental gods Explosions in the Sky, the welcome return of the Dandy Warhols and Weezer. An hour well spent.

Read: The Arm
Subtitled “Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports,” Yahoo baseball columnist Jeff Passan’s book is a three-year investigation into Tommy John surgery and why a limb compels baseball teams to spend more than $1.5 billion per year. Happy Opening Day! (April 5)

Watch: High-Rise
Kill List was one of our favorite Netflix finds, a British indie movie about a contract killer that takes an abruptly scary-as-f*** turn. So director Ben Wheatley is the perfect choice to tackle the dystopian J.G. Ballard novel, where an upscale apartment complex turns deadly when things (and people) start breaking down. (April 28)

Guilty Watch: The Time Traveling Bong
Debuting on, yes, 4/20, this Comedy Central miniseries features Broad City’s Ilana Glazer as one of two cousins who discover, well, you see the title. All’s well until said titular apparatus breaks. (April 20)

Plus: He’s got the hair for it: Patrick Stewart plays a Nazi punk leader in Green Room (Apr. 15) … Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits Blu-ray with several deleted scenes (Apr. 5) … Speaking of Blu-ray: How’s the bear look at home? See for yourself when The Revenant arrives (Apr. 19) … Good month for TV returns, including Orphan Black (Apr. 15), Kimmy Schmidt (Apr. 15), 12 Monkeys (Apr. 18), Inside Amy Schumer (Apr. 21), Game of Thrones (Apr. 24) and Silicon Valley (Apr. 24) … Key and Peele make a cat funny in Keanu (Apr. 29)