When It Comes to Some Tribute Records, Mature Imitation May Be Most Flattering

As T. S. Eliot once famously remarked, regarding the nature of talent and artistic development, “Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal.” And although Eliot was lashing out against critics who accused his allusive poem The Waste Land of mere plagiarism, he was also providing a valuable template for any would-be artist, whether bard or bass… Continue reading When It Comes to Some Tribute Records, Mature Imitation May Be Most Flattering

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