This was a rare thing: an album of guitar music where the guitar isn’t really the point. Put a different way, it’s the ideas that are given the focus, not the chops. You May Also Like: Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog – ‘Connection’ (2023) Bill Frisell – Music IS (2018)

As Bruce related in his recent SXSW Keynote speech, The Animals’ “We Gotta Get Out Of His Place” is the keystone of much of his music. People are stuck in their situations and desperate to get out. You May Also Like: Reevaluating Bruce Springsteen’s ‘The Wild, the Innocent and theRead More

This kind of “modern rock” does nothing for me. Even if I was able to ignore the ever-present my-life-sucks theme (which is pretty danged tough to do) the music alone would drive me away. You May Also Like: Modern Lovers, “Pablo Picasso” (1976): One Track Mind

I’ve said before that writers sometimes spend too much time living in their heads. There are a lot of reasons we do this, not the least of which is that those pesky thoughts have to be wrangled into coherency. You May Also Like: Why You Should Give Queen + PaulRead More

Saxophonist Jacques Schwarz-Bart’s roots come from both Switzerland and Guadeloupe, but his debut album for ObliqSound was informed by much more, including music descending from Morocco as well as American jazz and funk. You May Also Like: Brinsley Schwarz on His Eponymous Band, Graham Parker and New Solo Work ScaryRead More

Some fans look at The River as an album that contains several truly masterful songs, interspersed with a bunch of light-hearted throwaways. You May Also Like: Reevaluating Bruce Springsteen’s ‘The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle’

Quite a few years back I had a discussion with a close friend about a certain ‘famous’ musician. I say ‘famous’ because the musician’s name has been dropped from both of our memories You May Also Like: The Knack – ‘Round Trip’ (1981): Forgotten Series

Is music created using electronics (samplers and other related studio wizardry) intrinsically less emotional than that created with “real” instruments? You May Also Like: How Frank Zappa’s ‘Trance-Fusion’ Became Yet Another Unpredictable Gift Frank Zappa’s Universe via ‘Joe’s Garage’: Act I

Bruce’s song of the immigrant underpinnings of America has become a staple of the E Street live experience. “American Land” first surfaced during the Seeger Sessions tour but since then has attached itself to the encore segment of most shows. You May Also Like: Reevaluating Bruce Springsteen’s ‘The Wild, theRead More

Bruce takes the biblical story of Jonah and morphs it into a kind of blues lament for the downtrodden and the forgotten. You May Also Like: Reevaluating Bruce Springsteen’s ‘The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle’