For You Blue: The Beatles’ ‘Blue Album’, 41 Years Later
Sean MurphyIt was forty-one years ago, today. No, really. Check it out: Let us not forget, it’s the “Blue Album”. Before it was the cassette, the eight-track, CD or digital download,…
Five Songs to Welcome Spring*
(*Even though we are supposed to get snow tomorrow!) The incomparable John Fahey with the appropriately titled "When The Springtime Comes Again": Janácek's String Quartet "Intimate Letters", 3rd Movement: John…
Radiohead, Radiodread and Kudos to Consequence of Sound
What a great idea, pulled off with aplomb. My hat is tipped to the good folks @ Consequence of Sound for their (new?) series, "Masterpiece Reviews", which I've just gotten…
The Intersection of Art & Innovation, cont’d: A Conversation with Matt Merewitz
Music. Marketing. Merewitz. Murphy. My series concerning the Intersection of Art & Innovation continues! (previous discussions can be found here.) I've had the welcome opportunity to speak with a variety…
Taking It All Too Hard: Unironic Love For Phil Collins (Revisited)
After taking on the "holy trinity" of classic era Genesis, wherein Phil Collins arguably got short-shrift (I mean we had to discuss Peter Gabriel!), it seemed appropriate to revisit my…
The Prog Rock Holy Trinity, Cont’d, Part Three: Genesis
There are several things that make it challenging to discuss old school Genesis. First, virtually everyone knows and probably prefers the Phil Collins incarnation (or worse, people detest that outfit,…
Don Drummond: Music Was His Occupation
Check out this elevator pitch: Impoverished youth becomes a mostly self-taught musician. This reticent, eccentric musical genius scraps together an existence in an environment where squalor, violence and indifference are…
Eric Dolphy’s ‘Out To Lunch’: 50 Years Later
Thanks to the good folks at Blue Note Records for reminding us that today marks the 50th anniversary of Eric Dolphy's Out To Lunch, one of the all-time great jazz…
One More Blue Nightmare: Aram Bajakian’s Back Again (with the album of the year)
What has Aram Bajakian been up to since the release of his remarkable debut, Kef, in 2011? Not much. He’s been on the road with both Lou Reed (RIP) and…
The Intersection of Art & Innovation, cont’d: Another Conversation with Aram Bajakian
Today we wrapped round two of what I hope will be an ongoing conversation. Aram and I discussed what he's learned by producing, and promoting, his first truly independent release…