The great songwriting tradition of blending opposites gets quite a workout on “The Fuse.” We have the vignette of the (possibly doomed) lovers in the last verse, which seems to leaven the darkness of the earlier verses, where death takes on a heavy presence. You May Also Like: Reevaluating BruceRead More

I have to admit that intellectually, I was not prepared for 80/81. I had not yet listened to enough jazz music. American Garage, First Circle, Kind of Blue and Weather Report’s 8:30 rounded out nearly my entire listening discography. It just wasn’t enough. And even when I finally took theRead More

So I’m lazing around the other morning, trying hard (and failing) to put down the reading material and at least pretend like I’d like to get to work before noon. It’s just that I was surprised to learn of Jimmy Webb’s interest in Concorde memorabilia. You May Also Like: WhyRead More

As I write this, yet another snow storm is heading toward the northeastern United States. This is really no big deal except for some of are kind of done with it for the year. I include myself in that camp, though I’m not willing to do something as stupid asRead More

With that varied styles employed throughout The Rising, it was kind of refreshing to hear “Further On (Up The Road)” come blasting out of my speakers. Very little in the way of violins, mandolins, or anything else that might get in the way of the insistent bombast. But there wasRead More

At first, you might think that New Chautauqua was going to fade out in a series of simple reveries. I would have been fine with that, because that set of ringing arpeggios have that kind of searching quality You May Also Like: Why Pat Metheny’s ‘New Chautauqua’ Still Provides anRead More

I’ve got no new thoughts to add to this week’s mass of Pete Seeger tributes. His long and inspirational life has been covered extensively from many angles. You May Also Like: No related posts.

I was having a little trouble concentrating at work yesterday afternoon, so I got my listening equipment ready and declared that the task at hand required some “squeaky music.” You May Also Like: John Zorn’s Simulacrum – The Garden of Earthly Delights (2017)

In the Springsteen catalog, it’s not often that I prefer the studio over the live version of a song, but in the case of “Let’s Be Friends,” it’s the truth. You May Also Like: Reevaluating Bruce Springsteen’s ‘The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle’

As an example of extraordinary beauty emanating from simplicity, it’s hard to top “Sueño con México.” In my mind, it nestles quietly alongside pieces such as Miles’ “So What” and Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme.” You May Also Like: Why Pat Metheny’s ‘New Chautauqua’ Still Provides an Important Refuge Pat Metheny,Read More