This series of posts is dedicated to the many, many six packs, pony kegs and pints that have sauntered into my life at one point or another. As noted previously, I spent some time roaming these past couple weeks. There … Continue reading Beers I Have Known — Smithwick’s Irish Ale
44. Genesis, Abacab (1981) In many ways, Abacab, the eleventh studio album by Genesis, was a stern rejection of the band’s legacy. Through the entirety of the nineteen-seventies, the group were stalwarts of progressive rock, releasing studio albums that strung … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #44 and #43
46. Men at Work, Business as Usual (1981) Columbia Records executives didn’t think U.S. would warm to Business as Usual, the debut album by the Australian band Men at Work. After rapidly building a reputation as aces live band in … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #46 and #45
48. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, I Love Rock ‘n Roll (1981) “I feel like I’ve paid a lot of dues,” Joan Jett told an Associated Press reporter when the title cut to her sophomore solo LP — and first … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #48 and #47
For the next two weeks, I’m on vacation. Sometimes in such instances, I still endeavor to keep up with daily updates here. Not this time, friends. Not this time. Normal operations resume on Monday, May 15. The College Countdown is … Continue reading Programming Note
Annie Blackman does indeed sound like what anyone would reasonably expect from a young, Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter. “The Well,” her new single, has a tender, plaintive quality to it, spelling out the challenge of living and loving in the world as … Continue reading This Week’s Model — Annie Blackman, “The Well”
CAROLINE POLACHEK Desire, I Want to Turn Into You (Perpetual Novice) — The first words Caroline Polachek sings on her new album, Desire, I Want to Turn Into You, are “Welcome to my island.” Delivered in a tone that bridges … Continue reading Medium Rotation — Desire, I Want to Turn Into You; in|FLUX
I read a lot of comic books as a kid. This series of posts is about the comics I read, and, occasionally, the comics that I should have read. Starting with Incredible Hulk #314, John Byrne was officially in charge … Continue reading My Misspent Youth — Marvel Fanfare #29 by John Byrne
Plane (Jean-François Richet, 2023). Although I’m no comprehensive expert on the recent filmography of Gerard Butler, my limited viewing experience suggested he’s carving out a fascinating niche as the star of action thrillers that are simultaneously bonkers and strangely grounded. … Continue reading Then Playing — Plane; M3GAN; Satan Met a Lady
How the Word Is Passed by Clint Smith Nonfiction, 2021 David knows that some visitors to Monticello arrive with an understanding of history that is not only misguided but also harmful. He has a difficult time disentangling this from the … Continue reading Book Report — How the Word Is Passed; It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth
Coffee for Two 