What's on The Soundgeist's Bedside Table?
A print newspaper, a classic novel, a classic watch, and more
The Soundgeist provides multimedia coverage of music and cultural discourse across the internet. On Substack, they interview emerging artists and publish salacious music think-pieces, but they are perhaps best known for the memes they create on their Instagram and X accounts.
You can read our previous bedside table series entries here:
The County Highway has become one of my consistent joys. Every six weeks or so, I can expect a new issue at my doorstep. The wide array of topics covered and the personable style of reporting provide a depth that’s lacking in more mainstream magazines. I’ve especially been enjoying the contributions from writers like Chandler Fritz, along with the variety of guest contributors they bring on. Plus, being a publication available only in print gives it a quality I can’t help but call “lindy.”
Port
Close friends and acquaintances know I have a sweet tooth. During COVID, I had a wonderful dalliance with mead, but lately, my fancy has turned to port. One aspect I especially appreciate is that, while wine and whiskey have no ceiling for top-end bottles, some of the best ports are available at a much more accessible price point. In the evening, you can often find me deep in the throes of meme-making with a vintage port by my side.
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
I’m revisiting this novel, which I believe is Ishiguro's strongest work. I find it especially relevant today, as its core centers around the protagonist reconciling whether his life’s work and service amounted to anything—or perhaps even proved a detriment to his nation and the world. It helps put into perspective what we want to spend our days on.
1969 Omega Constellaton
Consistently placed on my nightstand each evening, my vintage Omega serves me well as a dependable timepiece. I often toggle between the creative (aka overly online) and corporate worlds, so having a watch that satisfies both camps is valuable. It works for watch comparisons (think American Psycho-style business card swaps) that are commonplace when fraternizing with the various flavors of white-collar professionals, while also fitting right in at the more bohemian watering holes of Dimes Square and Brooklyn— typically populated by those sporting gold Casios, patch tattoos, and mullets. It’s the best of both worlds, I tell myself.
Wabi Sabi, Volumes I & II by Leonard Koren
Lately, I’ve been especially interested in design. Wabi Sabi, in a compressed definition, refers to design that is imperfect and impermanent, with its basis in nature. In English, “rustic” is a translation that gets you close to the ballpark. I’ve found that being conscious of design themes has helped with content output, so I’ve been motivated to dive deeper into studying design principles and theory. Funny enough, according to the philosophy, something can’t be Wabi Sabi if it’s online—but I’d argue that certain organic internet occurrences could qualify.
Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon
I have a background in the classics and the humanities, and that part of my education has stayed with me as a predisposition in the media I consume. Glorious Exploits follows two unemployed Syracusan potters who enlist Athenian prisoners from the Peloponnesian War to produce a play by Euripides—all told in a contemporary Irish voice. It’s a fun read and a testament to the connective power of the arts.
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