海角大神

Jewell of the Gem State聽

When I listen to Eilen Jewell鈥檚 鈥淕ypsy,鈥� I feel as if I鈥檝e run a mile. The snap of Jason Beek鈥檚 drums and the supple syncopation of Shawn Supra鈥檚 bass get my knees pumping. Amid squalls of guitar and fiddle, Ms. Jewell鈥檚 appealing voice remains as steady as a ship鈥檚 mast. The Americana artist wrote her eighth album in her Idaho cabin. On the single 鈥淐rawl,鈥� she appears torn between the lull of domesticity and the call of the road. If the latter impulse wins out, these songs will sound great live.

Boldly Go into History

Before George Takei became Mr. Sulu in 鈥淪tar Trek,鈥� he was deemed an enemy of the people. A new graphic novel, 鈥淭hey Called Us Enemy,鈥� chronicles his childhood inside a Japanese internment camp during World War II. Mr. Takei鈥檚 father initially told him it was an exotic vacation. The beautifully illustrated memoir, full of humor and bravery, traces the macro and micro forces behind President Franklin D. Roosevelt鈥檚 shameful policy. (As the story toggles between present and past, there鈥檚 also a nifty cameo by Captain Sulu鈥檚 starship.)

Britain鈥檚 鈥淔ixer Upper鈥�

Despite my aversion to DIY projects, I adore the long-running British home renovation show 鈥淕rand Designs.鈥� The latest series, now on Netflix, follows homeowners who embark on architecturally ambitious renovations. For fun, why not transform a London water tower into an apartment? Dapper host Kevin McCloud 鈥� who has the most memorable raised eyebrow since Roger Moore 鈥� delves into what motivates these resilient homebuilders.