56. Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians, Globe of Frogs (1988) “My songs are drawn from the same material dreams are,” Robyn Hitchcock told a reporter not long after the release of Globe of Frogs, his first album with A&M Records. … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #56 to #54
The Lawless Ruling Against the Abortion Pill Has Already Prompted a Constitutional Crisis by Mark Joseph Stern The right-wing’s demolition of all structures of law and governance in the name of foisting their regressive agenda on the rest of the … Continue reading Outside Reading — That Is Not the Law edition
There’s no getting around it, “Together Together,” the new song from the L.A. duo Mediocre, calls to mind Wet Leg. It has the wry, understated sense of humor, the easygoing but buoyant cadence, and the sense that they’re tapping in … Continue reading This Week’s Model — Mediocre, “Together Together”
I totally get that the name of the band comprised of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus is a spectacularly snide joke, a jab at the effusive superlative of brilliance often bestowed upon young males with even the slightest … Continue reading The New Releases Shelf — The Record
YO LA TENGO This Stupid World (Matador) — Yo La Tengo has been kicking around for so long that it’s easy to take them for granted, especially because they’ve been so prolifically great over the years. Certainly since the back-to-back … Continue reading Medium Rotation — This Stupid World; Breaking the Balls of History
It is at once perfectly logical and utterly absurd to believe that there’s a movie to be made from Dungeons & Dragons, the role-playing game co-created by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson in the nineteen-seventies. Fundamentally, there is no story … Continue reading Now Playing — Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
These posts celebrate the movie trailers, movie posters, commercials, print ads, and other promotional material that stand as their own works of art. I am tuned into the nerdier parts of the culture just enough that I was aware there … Continue reading The Art of the Sell — Geeks Reunion for Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
59. Eurythmics, Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) (1983) Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart had worked together in a couple different bands in the nineteen-seventies: first the Catch and then the Tourists. The success of the bands was never more … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #59 to #57
Gwyneth Paltrow’s Trial Is Her Best Role in Years by Naomi Fry My general stance is that courtroom proceedings involving celebrities consume far too much public attention, but Naomi Fry makes a good case for the value in the amusement … Continue reading Outside Reading — Justice Is Blonde edition
With a sound like rolling thunder, the new track by Australian band Cable Ties acknowledges the stress of modern life. But “Time for You” is ultimately about the way a caring, rewarding partner can cut through all the worry and … Continue reading This Week’s Model — Cable Ties, “Time for You”
