The Boss, The Big Man and the Best Rock Song of the ’70s (Revisited)
Sean MurphyWhen the change was made uptown and the Big Man joined the band... The rest was history, wasn't it? I am, of course, quoting from "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out", the second…
Four Albums and a Film: The Best Summer Entertainment*
The Congos - Heart of the Congos (1977) Great art knows no seasons. Nevertheless, some music is made for—or at least can be fully appreciated during—specific times of the year.…
Neither Fleeting Nor Helpless: Fleet Foxes’ Instant Masterpiece
A couple of years ago as I assessed what I considered to be the best 50 rock albums of the last decade, I had this to say about the Fleet…
Revisiting The Heart of the Congos
Great art knows no seasons. Nevertheless, some music is made for—or at least can be fully appreciated during—specific times of the year. Reggae music, which many people still believe means…
The 25 Best Progressive Rock Songs of All Time: Part Five
5. Genesis, "Watcher of the Skies" The mellotron certainly had its time and place. It became overused, a crutch for bands hoping to mimic the sounds made by bands like…
The 25 Best Progressive Rock Songs of All Time: Part Four
10. The Who, “Underture” The Who were not a prog-rock band. While both Tommy and The Who Sell Out could—and should—be considered crucial touchstones that helped pave the way, Pete…
The 25 Best Progressive Rock Songs of All Time: Part Three
15. Pink Floyd, “Dogs” No band besides The Beatles departed (or progressed) more radically from their initial sound than Pink Floyd. After the kaleidoscopic whimsy of their early work and…
The 25 Best Progressive Rock Songs of All Time: Part Two
20. King Crimson, “Red” The progenitors of math rock on their last album of the ’70s. Red is the paradigm that every pointy-headed prog rock band worships at the altar…
The 25 Best Progressive Rock Songs of All Time: Part One
Really Don't Mind If You Sit This One Out... Progressive rock came and went, but opinions differ on what specific years it covered and which artists epitomize it. Perhaps this…
Mozart and Mahler, Klezmer Style Courtesy of Uri Caine
I've been holding on to these clips for a while, but today, on the one hundredth anniversary of Mahler's death, it seems appropriate to celebrate them. From Symphony no. 5,…