When Was Steve Forbert at His Peak?
Steve Forbert hit the New York City scene just as I was finishing high school. Although originally from Mississippi, he felt like one of us Jersey guys. That he ended up living for many years at the Jersey Shore confirmed it. For those new to this, we’re looking at retrospective in a unique way – […]
Welcome Autumn with Tyson Motsenbocker’s “Someday I’ll Make It All Up To You”
In Nashville where I live, the first autumn leaves have fallen. They’re a little premature, of course – it’s supposed to be back up near 100 degrees this week. But the last two weeks were cool enough to fool a few leaves into dying early, and my yard is lightly scattered with them. Group that […]
When Was R.E.M. at Their Peak?
I was always jealous of the older guys who could remember when particular Beach Boys songs came out. But when REM came along, I had that pleasure. The band emerged as college radio darlings just as I started, releasing the Chronic Town EP and their five LP’s on the I.R.S. label, all while I was […]
Retrospective: “Telegraph Road” is Mark Knopfler’s Magnum Opus
Let’s look at retrospective in a unique way – searching for the artist’s peak. Not the most popular song; something harder – something we might think of as the Platonic peak. A song that conveys the essence of their good. Won’t reasonable people disagree? Let’s hope so. Mark Knopfler is a challenge because he does […]
Fleetwood Mac’s Secret Weapon Strikes Again on “You Make Loving Fun”
One of the well-documented wonders of Fleetwood Mac’s seminal album Rumours is how all the members of the band managed to devote themselves to making the best music they possibly could whilst simultaneously ripping each other apart emotionally. Some of the songs on the album understandably have bitter, heartbroken, or regret-laden lyrical content. But one […]
“So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright” is Simon and Garfunkel’s Break-up Song
On what turned out to be their last album together, Simon and Garfunkel created what some regard as a masterpiece. The album contains some iconic songs, not least the title track, “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Some of these are lodged in my marrow, songs that feel like I’ve known them forever that recall distant times, […]
“The Last Great American Dynasty” is Taylor Swift’s Mirror, Confession, and Best Song
Like the rest of the world, I exclaimed “There she is!” every time the camera cut to Taylor Swift during Super Bowl LVIII. Some of us said it angrily, peeved that we can’t even watch professional sports without her showing up like an IRS agent to ruin the fun. Some of us said it with […]
Radiohead Bring the Strings and Paranoia with “Burn The Witch”
Radiohead are good at (and renowned for) upending people’s expectations. So their lead single from 2016 album A Moon Shaped Pool was what we might call an expected surprise. Radiohead are sometimes described as alt rock or indie rock. There’s often guitars somewhere, and whilst this album has that feel, the first song everyone heard […]
The Best Songs of 2023 (that You Probably Missed)
This is a tad late, I know. We’re a few weeks into the new year, enough time to make it feel like 2023 was a different time during which you were a different person. You went to the gym less and spent more time on social media back then. You meditate now, and take ice […]
Is “Wherever You Are” Neil Finn’s most romantic song?
In 1996, a TV advert ran with the tagline, “you know more Crowded House songs than you think you do.” It was clever, but also true. The inherent catchiness in Neil Finn’s songwriting paired with lyrics that sit on a knife’s edge between reality and dreams ensure that his songs, once in your brain, are […]
