iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 15/09/2026

I'm just going to copy these images in sequence on the other site because holy SHIT 'Girls' used to get wild.

Screenshot from HBO's 'Girls', as Hannah confronts Jessa saying "And it made me remember what it was like in college..."

Screenshot from HBO's 'Girls', as Hannah confronts Jessa saying "when you'd say, 'Oh, meet me at the Free Palestine party'..."

Screenshot from HBO's 'Girls', as Hannah confronts Jessa saying "Then I'd find out you're at the Israel house!'

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 14/09/2026

About three weeks ago, I went under surgery and while in recovery, I came up with a plan to try and make a video essay about how to get people into country music. I failed, and this is the result. Live early for Patrons and YouTube members, This Is Not A Stella Lefty Review, it's a breakdown.

YouTube thumbnail with a slew of country albums, black flames, and the tagline, 'This is not a review, it's a breakdown'

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 31/08/2026

Sometimes I go on Twitter and see takes like this and wonder what would happen if these people had to actually explain with a second sentence.

i’m sure noah kahan is a great guy and all but he’s like hozier for girls who would become republican if their boyfriend gave them a convincing enough argument

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 25/07/2026

Alright folks, this is a big one, and a bit of a swerve... Live early for Patrons and YouTube members: Spectrum Pulse & The Summer of Rage. Enjoy!

YouTube thumbnail featuring rage albums from 2026

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 29/06/2026

Hey Patrons and YouTube Members, it's now live early - The Top Albums and Songs of 2026 at the midyear! For everyone else, stay tuned for the premiere dropping later this week!

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 26/06/2026

A few things past the paywall that I found worth highlighting: (for the second quote, I couldn't agree with Breihan more - it's why I also believe so much of the music critique of the 2000s (and those aping it) has aged so badly)

From a writer and editor in tech: "A few years ago I would have said no, but the slop era may be great for criticism. Readers want someone to tell them what's worth their time and why. Also, people seem to be reminded, for now, that human judgement matters. Criticism might actually be the exact right product for this particular cultural panic!"

From Tom Breihan: "In the past few years, it feels more like the early blogosphere days than it has in a long time. For a while, people were trying to professionalize their voices and were very careful about what they said, and I think things have slid back the other way. You can talk a lot of shit on Substack (sic) if you want. I do think that a lot of writing, certainly including mine, is less flippant and dismissive than it used to be, which I see as a positive. Snark seems a lot hackier now."

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 22/06/2026

So here's what he actually told Variety. Has he been handling this as well as he should? No, obviously. Was the original review good? No. But would ANYTHING have really changed if he knew that context one way or the other, as he now does? Doesn't look like it. For him, that's where it ends.

“We’re talking about a two-year-old review here where I’ve remained mostly silent on the reception of the review, despite the fact that Halsey and her fans, for the duration of that time, have pushed the narrative that I disliked the album — or said in my assessment of the album that there was a ‘self-centeredness’ about it — because she was sick,” he offers to Variety. “That I specifically attacked this album and tore it apart because there’s some cartoonishly evil characteristic about me that somehow just singled this album out because of who she is or the illness that she suffered during that time in her life that inspired the record, which couldn’t be further from the truth.”

According to Fantano, his assessment of “The Great Impersonator” had nothing to do with the real-life pain and suffering Halsey endured, but “everything to do with how bad I feel her various takes on inspirations that she tries to pull from and impersonate are, and how weak the songwriting is.”

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 19/06/2026

How do I say this delicately... there's a more nuanced conversation in how to balance this that tells me way more about your DMs than your characters. Let me make this clear, both of these are just FINE, the question is how to make them work in the world.

D&D then and now, with the left as a generic human fighter and the right as an extravagantly overworked and overpowered character

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 18/06/2026

Alright folks, it's live for Patrons and YouTube members and it's a doozy... Olivia Rodrigo, ‘you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love’, and Why The Hipster Dies Lonely - enjoy!

YouTube thumbnail with the hipster timeline gradually forming into the newest Olivia Rodrigo album, with the caption 'This Is Not A Review'

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 09/06/2026

This might just be one of the darkest videos I've made in some time. Also one I'm more than a little worried will be misconstrued, but let me make my case. Live early for Patrons and YouTube members, "Why Vince Staples Should Headline America Freedom 250 with 'Cry Baby'". Yes, seriously.

A picture of Vince Staples' album 'Cry Baby' alongside an American Flag with Freedom 250 beneath it, with the words 'Seriously.' written over top.

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 25/05/2026

For channel members and Patrons... and whoo boy, this is a doozy... The Challenges of Canadian Multiculturalism Through Music in 2026 (ft. Drake). Or, What Even Is Canadian Music In 2026? Enjoy!

Thumbnail for Video Essay on Canadian Music

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 01/05/2026

For Patrons and YouTube members early... boy, this one might push some buttons... A SONGWRITER SHOWDOWN, between Noah Kahan and 'The Great Divide'... VS 'My Days at 58' by Bill Callahan?! Yep, enjoy!

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 16/04/2026

Not gonna say this is the final word on why Ella Langley has been so huge this year... but I had a lot to say on this one, and I'm real proud of it. How Ella Langley's 'Dandelion' Breaks - And Rewrites - The Narrative - enjoy! youtu.be/vxxw8UU95qs

Spectrum Pulse Video Thumbnail featuring Ella Langley's 'Dandelion' with the text 'Album Review' in quotations.

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 09/04/2026

This one was a lot of fun to put together, and lets me talk about musical theatre at length, which is always a hoot. Live for Patrons and YouTube Members early, "RAYE, 'THIS MUSIC MIGHT CONTAIN HOPE', and Why Music Critics Don't Review Musical Theater" - enjoy!

YouTube Thumbnail featuring RAYE's 'THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE' and the tagline 'This Is Not A Review', also featuring Hamilton and &Juliet

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 26/03/2026

Not gonna lie, this is the goofiest video I think I've made in years, but I had a ton of fun putting it together and it's now live for Patrons and YouTube Members! Presenting, The Grand Piracy of Johnny Blue Skies and 'Mutiny After Midnight'!

Video essay around Johnny Blue Skies (aka Sturgill Simpson) and 'Mutiny After Midnight', with the subtitle 'Keelhauled'

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 16/03/2026

I'm so happy that I could FINALLY get this out, and even if it doesn't perform, this closes a chapter long overdue. For Patrons and YouTube Members, it's live now: The Rap Album All Men Should Hear in 2026. Click to find out which one it is (and why)!

Spectrum Pulse Thumbnail for a hip-hop album with the tagline 'The Best Rap Album for MEN in 2026?'

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 07/03/2026

Psst... for patrons and YouTube members, it's live early! Presenting, 'The Hollow Lore of Gorillaz'

Gorillaz video essay thumbnail, with the tagline 'This Is Not A Review'

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 03/03/2026

...yeah, this one got away from me a bit. For Patrons and members for now, for everyone else coming soon! Bruno Mars, 'The Romantic', and "Why Music Isn't Fun Anymore" Yes, the title is referencing another recent video. And yes, the gloves are coming off.

A thumbnail for a Bruno Mars "album review"

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 19/02/2026

If you think this is about to piss you off... you might be right. It's available for Patrons and YouTube Members right now, for everyone else soon! Danny L Harle's 'Cerulean': Hyperpop, Irony, and You - enjoy!

Hyperpop video essay thumbnail with the tagline 'This Is Not A Review'

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 10/02/2026

Hey Patrons, YouTube Members, you all get this early, and ooh boy, it's a doozy... J. Cole, 'The Fall-Off', and the Mythology of Average - enjoy!

Title card featuring J Cole, 'Might Delete Later', and 'The Fall Off', with text stating 'This Is Not A Review'

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 30/01/2026

Hey Patrons / YouTube Members, it's here, and long-overdue. The Paintings of Roc Marciano - enjoy!

Video essay on Roc Marciano with the tagline 'This Is Not A Review'

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 24/01/2026

Hey Patrons / YouTube members in the highest tier, on my Discord I've (finally) posted my review of the good but slightly frustrating (only somewhat on purpose) new album from Courtney Marie Andrews, 'Valentine'. Not sure when it'll be up for the public, but in the mean time...

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 23/01/2026

Hey Patrons / YouTube members... it's finally live.

Video Essay on A$AP Rocky with the text 'This Is Not A Review'

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 21/01/2026

...it's very telling that Grimes is talking like this about AI / udio, when she's been in the Midjourney discord for years. Aka, these people are only against LLMs when they realize it could impact them, a fundamentally self interested and conservative mindset. Same with Joe Rogan and AI podcasts.

Grimes tweeting / complaining about AI, specifically udio being used by the music industry

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 16/01/2026

For YouTube Members and Patrons... it's live. ;)

'Dry Cleaning, 'Secret Love', and the Cowardice of 'Landfill Post-punk''

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 13/01/2026

Hey folks, if you're looking for where my Zach Bryan review is going to be, it'll be a written piece posted first on my Discord for my Patreon / high tier YouTube Members - should be available around noon tomorrow if you're interested! www.patreon.com/c/SpectrumPu...

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 06/01/2026

It's been over five years. This album is an emo / pop punk classic and has aged disturbingly well. The best of 2020 and one of the best of the 2020s, if not the century so far. f4.bcbits.com/img/a1035771...

Brave Faces Everyone by Spanish Love Songs

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 05/01/2026

For anyone who wants to see it all early... YouTube Members / Patrons just got it. And it's a huge one too - should be going live to everyone on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, premiering at 4 PM EST, The Top 50 Best Albums of 2025! If you're not watching early, I hope to see y'all there!

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 31/12/2025

Hey Patrons / YouTube members, my Top 50 Best Songs of 2025 is live early for you tonight! (everyone else, stay tuned for around 2 PM EST, December 31, 2025 for the premiere)

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 28/12/2025

Post a perfect album from the 90s that isn't nirvana, soundgarden, pearl jam, or alice in chains.

'The Good Son' by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds (1990)

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 26/12/2025

Hey Patrons / YouTube Members, if you want a nice Boxing Day gift, check that community tab or Patreon page... For everyone else, it's live tomorrow afternoon!

Top Ten Best Hit Songs of 2025 thumbnail, featuring Chappell Roan, Olivia Dean, sombr, Kehlani, and BigXThaPlug

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 22/12/2025

It'll be live for Patrons and YouTube members Christmas Eve, but on Christmas Day... Yeah, this'll be a long one, folks.

Thumbnail of Top 10 Worst Hit Songs of 2025, featuring Taylor Swift, Drake, Morgan Wallen, and Chris Brown

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 03/11/2025

Some pre-session banter before we play on Friday, presented without context.

I'm so excited 😤
Daozivin "Dao" Jalrepvad (Nori) — 2:22 PM
Same here 🤩
Helvhali "Haley" Willowrock (CT) — 2:36 PM
Likewise!
Remember though Mark, we are... Weirdly good at making the worst choices when it comes to open ended stuff.
*Looks over shoulder at the giant skeleton dragon fucking up the southern coast.
Daozivin "Dao" Jalrepvad (Nori) — 2:38 PM
what do you meeeeean? we make great choices!
Helvhali "Haley" Willowrock (CT) — 2:45 PM
*Looks over shoulder at the slaves/plague/fountain of knowledge and information we left behind in North Keep...

Sure thing. 🤪
Alanis Elanesse (Adam)

— 2:49 PM
did someone say steal a boat and sail it halfway around the continent :eyeshake:
Daozivin "Dao" Jalrepvad (Nori) — 2:53 PM
what about partaking in an event with a well known sore loser, resulting in the destruction of multiple civilisations in the continent, killing plenty of people (including one of us) and allowed dragons to freely roam
Helvhali "Haley" Willowrock (CT) — 2:53 PM
...Mark, are you SURE you want to leave this in our hands? 😂
Daozivin "Dao" Jalrepvad (Nori) — 2:54 PM
I really question our decision-making skills at times. 🙃

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 02/11/2025

All my thoughts on that last World Series game, courtesy of one of the best wordsmiths of our time. That will be all.

"Flim flam filth! SMH! WORLD SERIES" - tweet by Pharoahe Monch

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 20/10/2025

And it looks like a solid 'no' when it comes to fudging with their own rules behind the scenes, go figure. (also doesn't fix the holiday song issues - also go figure!)

Quote from Billboard: Previously, descending songs were removed from the Hot 100 once falling below No. 25 after 52 weeks or below No. 50 after 20 weeks. Descending songs will now depart via the following thresholds, once they are:

Below No. 5 after 78 weeks
Below No. 10 after 52 weeks
Below No. 25 after 26 weeks
Below No. 50 after 20 weeks
Songs gaining below those markers will be eligible to remain on the Hot 100 on a case-by-case basis. Plus, holiday classics will qualify to return above No. 50 regardless of total chart weeks, and then be subject to the rules noted above upon their descents; the same for newly-surging non-holiday catalog songs, with those without significant chart history eligible to debut at any rank, as considered individually. Songs will also continue to be removed from the all-format Radio Songs chart once they go recurrent on the Hot 100."

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 12/09/2025

And tweets like this prove my point. For those with privilege to treat this like a game, he might just be a friendly player, no "true believer" with malice. It's why so many tears were shed on FOX, he was just like many of them. But I don't pretend know a man's heart - I see what is said and done.

A tweet describing Charlie Kirk as basically playing a character in all of his politics, highlighting how one might grieve for the human behind all of it.

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 30/06/2025

Hey folks, I've got an announcement on my main channel about the upcoming midyear video, plus something more specific for those in Canada (specifically around the Toronto area)! www.youtube.com/channel/UCvq...

YouTube thumbnail for Spectrum Pulse Best Albums / Songs of Midyear 2025

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 03/06/2025

Paging @fdsignifier.bsky.social because this was the sort of thing that shocked me DEEP. WTAF x.com/elucidwho/st...

Rapper Elucid (of Armand Hammer) mentioned that he used to ghostwrite for Brian Pumper (you couldn't PAY to have me admit this my God)

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 16/04/2025

I recognize nearly all of these. I've been online too long. I'm so tired.

A list of modern texts in 21st century fascism that would seem facetious unless you know how fucking nightmarish and true it is

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 11/04/2025

And that became evident on the albums because when those experimental influences fell out of his popular circle, the music just got emptier and more vacuous. It always gave me the feel of someone who knew what to say rather than fully thinking through it. Also this Nick Cave picture.

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 09/04/2025

...so, this Ariana Grande deluxe album called 'eternal sunshine'... Kind of reminds me of this album from just over a decade ago. Let's see the album art comparison and... oh dear.

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 05/04/2025

I have a lot of thoughts around all of this, mostly because for my teenage years I spent my summers (14-18) working in a factory distribution center, unloading trailers and filling orders. At 19 there was the slight upgrade: working at Costco. Now I'm in one of those IT jobs, so I've seen both.

Skeet from Bill McKay quoteskeeting someone talking about the post-left dipshits who went fash now lionizing the low-wage factory job while all said dipshits are likely IT types or NEET in their parents' basement. Skeet is the following: 'There is a great shame among liberals and leftists alike that they do not work low wage factory jobs or live in rural towns because that is Real America, and their PMC jobs just make them sissy cosmopolitans. This is also pretty gendered too.

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 02/02/2025

Boos at the Raptors game at the American National Anthem. It's a fifteen year old girl singing said anthem. (She got cheers for the Canadian anthem, thank God, but if you want a temperature check from up here...)

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 21/01/2025

Alright, it's out of DMCA hell and back online - if you're looking for a good anger release valve, here it is: the Top 10 WORST Hit Songs of 2024! youtu.be/lXTkiKfS4gI

Thumbnail for my Top Ten Worst Hit Songs of 2024

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 12/01/2025

Targeting for patrons EXCLUSIVELY later today (for everyone else premiering a little later)...

Spectrum Pulse Thumbnail for the Best Albums of 2024

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 09/01/2025

The one good joke about Ethel Cain's new project.

Pop base announcement of Ethel Cain's release of 'Perverts' with a QT of 'She gets on Obama playlist once and now makes a drone album because she heard he likes that'

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Mark Grondin @spectrum-pulse.ca · 29/12/2024

Fuck it, I'm in the mountains. I don't need this shit.

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