Articles by: Mark Saleski

Vinyl

The Friday Morning Listen: Beastie Boys – Ill Communication (1994)

You know, I just get so damned tired of people trippin’ all over themselves to pay tribute to these guys when they die. Besides, it’s just friggin’ rap “music.” That’s right, “music.” You May Also Like: Tom Petty, Johnny Cash + Beastie Boys: Rick Rubin’s Most Important Albums

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Half Notes: Bill Carrothers – Joy Spring (2010)

Pianist Carrothers revisits the music of trumpeter Clifford Brown. With bassist Drew Gress and the great Bill Stewart at the kit, they interpret Brown (and Brown-related) classics like “Daahoud,” “Gerkin For Perkin,” and of course, that iconic title track. “Joy Spring” is definitely the not-so-secret ingredient of this recording, andRead More

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Sparks Fly On E Street: Bruce Springsteen, "I Wanna Marry You" (1980)

For all of the fun that skips its way through The River, there’s an equal amount of pathos and the very real weight of adult responsibilities. You May Also Like: Reevaluating Bruce Springsteen’s ‘The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle’

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Forgotten series: John Matthias and Nick Ryan – Cortical Songs (2010)

I have decided that’s it’s never not fun to talk about what is and isn’t music. The discussions can be thought-provoking, plus there’s always the chance that somebody will lose it You May Also Like: The Poppees – ‘Pop Goes the Anthology’ (2010): Forgotten Series

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Half Notes: Cassandra Wilson – Glamoured (2003)

Ooooh baby … just one listen to Wilson’s gorgeous and sultry voice intertwined with Willie Nelson’s classic melody from “Crazy” is enough to make me think things I just shouldn’t be thinkin’ Glamoured doesn’t stray far from Wilson’s past styles … with some originals and some covers, all done withRead More

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The Friday Morning Listen: Bruce Springsteen, “The Weight” (2012)

So the first U.S. leg of Springsteen’s Wrecking Ball tour has come to an end, with Bruce and the band playing a killer set in New Orleans at Jazzfest, followed by a show for the ages in Newark, New Jersey. It’s been a wild ride that feels like it’s justRead More

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Sparks Fly On E Street: Bruce Springsteen, "You Can Look (But You Better Not Touch)" (1980)

You May Also Like: Reevaluating Bruce Springsteen’s ‘The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle’ Carl Weingarten – ‘The Simian River Collection 1980-2020’ (2023)

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Half Notes: Eden Brent – Mississippi Number One (2008)

Spring has sprung and it’s time for some blues! Sure, true believers know that it’s always time for some blues. Well, this record from Yellow Dog artist Eden Brent is the kind of thing that just might create a few true believers. Brent has a beautifully soulful voice (with justRead More

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The Friday Morning Listen: Porcupine Tree – The Incident (2009)

I don’t usually spend a lot of time dumping on music that I don’t like. This is pretty much an ironclad rule when it comes to reviews. It’s the most pointless kind of writing, rarely rising above the level of drunken frat-boy snark. You May Also Like: No related posts.

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Half Notes: Hot Hot Heat, "Talk To Me, Dance With Me" (2003)

The next step beyond the ‘new’ garage rock movement? Successors to The Strokes, The White Stripes, The Hives, etc? Man, this tune really reminds me of the New Wave era. Maybe it’s the Robert Smith-like vocals. The snarky Gang Of Four-ish guitar line doesn’t hurt either. And geez, is thatRead More