The Once and Future King: ‘SMiLE’ and Brian Wilson’s Very American Dream
Sean MurphyStop me if you’ve heard this one before. Icarus soars too close to the sun. Othello, vulnerable and halfway crazy, mistakenly trusts the evil Iago. The product of a celebrated…
God Is Dead (Again): Remembering Stevie Ray Vaughan
Twenty-five years ago today. First day of classes, junior year. Standing in the bathroom with too much shaving cream and not enough whiskers, getting geared up for another semester of…
Reappraising Jethro Tull’s ‘Minstrel in the Gallery’
Jethro Tull, again? Seriously? Yes, seriously. The reason Tull warrants continued discussion is because unlike just about all other prog rock acts of the mid-‘70s, they were—in their businesslike, seemingly…
Amy Winehouse: Lack of Love Is a Losing Game (Revisited)
Last year I had the opportunity to write about Amy Winehouse via Howard Sounes' book 27. (Full review here.) Here is the crux: For his new book, 27, Howard Sounes researched…
Hell’s Not Gonna Be Hot Enough: Johnny Winter, R.I.P. (Revisited)
Hell is not gonna be hot enough for this cat. R.I.P. Johnny Winter, an American bad-ass of the first rank. An albino playing the blues? Duh. Most young, uninitiated punks…
Ripe with Rich Attainments: Jethro Tull’s ‘A Passion Play’, Reassessed (Revisited)
For prog-rock aficionados, the hits keep coming, and one man above all deserves our gratitude: Steven Wilson. Whether it’s Yes, King Crimson, or Jethro Tull—all of whom he has worked…
Charlie Haden R.I.P. (Revisited)
1959 was a watershed year for jazz music (arguably the greatest single year for jazz in all history–which is saying a lot). Here’s a taste: Miles Davis Kind of Blue,…
Talking Jive, Mingus and John Goodman
Today is the day. For John Goodman, that is. And for you, if you are inclined to check out his new book, Jive-Colored Glasses: A Jazz Memoir. And you should…
The Doors: Our Star-Spangled American band (Revisited)
If the discussion is going to turn to American rock bands, it would be impossible to avoid R.E.M. Fortunately, I already dealt with their legacy and am on record declaring…
Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown: Remembering Michael Jackson (Revisited)
How do you know you've made an indelible impact on culture? Here's how. Listen: this story has been told so many times it is inextricable from the history of America.…