Because the month of January (named for the two-headed ancient god, Janus) teeters on the fence between the old year and the new, it offers a distinct vantage point for glancing backward at what has been, as a way to predict what may be lurking up ahead. In other words, it’s a time for deciding whether… Continue reading Glancing Backward to Look Forward
Tag: R.E.M.
Why Doubt Your Senses? A Medley of New Music to Please the Holiday Spirits
A few weeks ago, I used this space to bemoan the fact that quote-unquote holiday music had begun to haunt the halls of my mind like some musical Marley’s ghost. “Bah! Be gone,” I said, “it’s too early.” It wasn’t even Thanksgiving, and yet the strains of carols old and new were already jingling and… Continue reading Why Doubt Your Senses? A Medley of New Music to Please the Holiday Spirits
Look What They've Done to That Song, Man
I’m a sucker for a good cover band. It’s true. Although I prefer to hear musicians perform their own music, every now and then I enjoy listening to an old, familiar song being played in a new and sometimes unexpected way. Now, I’m not referring to the ridiculous lookalike-soundalike tribute acts like Beatlemania or some other… Continue reading Look What They've Done to That Song, Man
Infidels, Excess, and Howe: More Recollections from the Record Collection
Several weeks ago I began rediscovering the contents of my vinyl record collection, which had remained stacked and silent on my shelves for several years, until the arrival of a working turntable in late 2008. I wrote about that experience here. Since then I have continued to pull out records at random, dust them off, give them a… Continue reading Infidels, Excess, and Howe: More Recollections from the Record Collection
Ten Recordings to Hear Before the End of the Year
I recently learned about a new compendium of delightfully useless information that should be must-reading for any music aficionado. Tom Moon, a critic and frequent contributor to NPR’s All Songs Considered (a must-listen for anyone interested in new music), has published a new book (and launched a Web site), 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die. Nearly four years… Continue reading Ten Recordings to Hear Before the End of the Year