Category: Music

“There something happening here, but what it is ain’t exactly clear.” Nothing conjures up the counterculture movement of the mid-to-late 60s better than “For What It’s Worth.” Often believed to be a Vietnam protest song, the song’s lyrics by Stephen Stills were actually prompted by the Sunset Strip curfew riots in November 1966 when Buffalo…

I always check out upcoming concert schedules in cities I’m about to visit. Usually, a cool concert doesn’t line up with my vacation plans. You can imagine my joy when I saw that Future Islands were going to be in Paris during the time of my trip. So, in addition to the Eiffel Tower, the…

Time for some new music. As usual for these posts, the new songs are a mixture of old bands, new bands, bands I’m familiar with, and bands I’ve never heard of. Punk rock, shoegaze, synths, hard electric rock, and melodic acoustic rock are all represented. Let’s get started… – “Scapa Flow” by Drop Nineteens: Have…

A Million Miles Away paints the rich tapestry of the life of Peter Case. Street musician. Punk rocker. One-hit wonder. Singer-songwriter. Folk troubadour. The film makes clear that the Plimsouls, and their signature song, “A Million Miles Away,” are not representative of Case’s 50-year career. At heart, he’s always been a tireless writer who tells…

“Better late than never.” Most of us have had this situation when it comes to concerts. I finally saw a lot of bands years (decades) after their heyday: Joe Jackson, Elton John, Van Halen, Rush, Aerosmith, and the two biggies, David Bowie (2004) and Rolling Stones (2005). Time to add another to the list, Neil…

Tom Petty once said that two minutes is all the time a good writer needs for a song. Punk rock embodied this spirit. The two-minute surge of stripped-down energy became the punk rock credo and an in-your face rebuttal to classic rock. A lasting musical expression can be made in short order, but don’t you…

M83, the electronic band from Antibes, France formed way back in 1999. Originally a duo, Anthony Gonzalez became the sole songwriter and lead vocalist when Nicolas Fromageau left after the release of their second album. Seven albums later, Gonzalez is still recording primarily on his own as M83 accompanied by numerous guest musicians. Their sound…

The time has come. The guitar solo. The definitive statement in rock and roll that has inspired countless wannabes, video games, and air guitar poses. Guitar solos can be subtle and delicate or loud and raging. How can you compare and rank “Comfortably Numb” and “Green Grass and High Tides?” I don’t have one all-time…