Medium Rotation — I Play My Bass Loud; Shook
GINA BIRCH I Play My Bass Loud (Third Man) — In certain circles, Gina Birch is a legend. As bassist and vocalist for post-punk icons the Raincoats, Birch helped create music that was foundational to all manner of off-kilter, independently … Continue reading Medium Rotation — I Play My Bass Loud; Shook
College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #42 and #41
42. The Psychedelic Furs, Forever Now (1982) “I enjoy surprising,” explained Richard Butler, the frontman of the Psychedelic Furs, while making the rounds to promote the band’s third album, Forever Now. “We have many hardcore fans, fans of the first … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #42 and #41
Outside Reading — Gravel Roads edition
The Epic Return of Lucinda Williams by Bronwen Dickey Bronwen Dickey’s profile of Lucinda Williams is utterly splendid. It helps, of course, that the musician has lived a colorful life. In the article, Dickey demonstrates a flair for identifying the … Continue reading Outside Reading — Gravel Roads edition
This Week’s Model — Origami Angel, “My PG Country Summer”
There are all sorts of reasons I’m susceptible to “My PG Country Summer,” the new single from Origami Angel, There’s the gooey guitar lines that mark it as a fit and proper representation of emo rock and the breakneck pace. … Continue reading This Week’s Model — Origami Angel, “My PG Country Summer”
Laughing Matters — What If Wes Anderson Directed X-Men?
Sometimes comedy illuminates hard truths with a pointed urgency that other means can’t quite achieve. Sometimes comedy is just funny. This series of posts is mostly about the former instances, but the latter is valuable, too. In the past couple … Continue reading Laughing Matters — What If Wes Anderson Directed X-Men?
Then Playing — Children of a Lesser God; 5 Against the House; Personality Crisis: One Night Only
Children of a Lesser God (Randa Haines, 1986). Much as I admired Children of a Lesser God at the time it was originally released, I’ve long mentally consigned it to the category of earnest nineteen-eighties dramas that probably looked fairly … Continue reading Then Playing — Children of a Lesser God; 5 Against the House; Personality Crisis: One Night Only
Golden Words — The Mary Tyler Moore Show, “Chuckles Bites the Dust”
Since great television comedy always begins with the script, this series of posts considers the individual episodes that have claimed the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series over the years. Jay Sandrich directed 119 episodes of … Continue reading Golden Words — The Mary Tyler Moore Show, “Chuckles Bites the Dust”
Beers I Have Known — Smithwick’s Irish Ale
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
College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #44 and #43
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
College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #46 and #45
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
Coffee for Two 