While talking with my friend Ron as he drove through Nebraska, I quoted him a James McMurtry song: “Out here in the middle where the buffalo roam/we're putting up towers for your cell phones.” If you don’t know how that sounds and can't place it within his critique of politics in "flyover country," stop what … Continue reading Out Here in the Middle
popular music
Dog! How F*cked Up Is You?
This is to share and make a smallish comment about a jaw-droppingly powerful image that I have just seen, disseminated to my newsfeed today by Nation magazine. I’m not sure if I should directly feature the work of the Australian painter, lushsux, licensable by Getty images— but, after all, lushsux hopes go viral as a … Continue reading Dog! How F*cked Up Is You?
Another Day in America
"Ah, America. We saw it. We tipped it over, and then we sold it." One of many unforgettable lines burned into my soul by this Laurie Anderson song from Homeland. Here's another: "And you, who can be silent in four languages; your silence will be considered your consent." That one tells the actual story of today's … Continue reading Another Day in America
12 (plus 1) Songs for Christmas: “When You Go Down” and “Starting Over”
"When you go down, all the children will sing. When you go down, the bells of freedom will ring. One two three four five six seven. John Lewis is gonna shout from heaven....When you go down." I've featured this before, but this is definitely the song we need for today. Thanks, grassroots Georgia organizers! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCKoNBDpPRk … Continue reading 12 (plus 1) Songs for Christmas: “When You Go Down” and “Starting Over”
12 Songs for Christmas: I Got So High That I Saw Jesus
Little by little, I have come to a realization that (as a commentator on a youtube thread articulated it) “Holy shit, I think I’m a Miley Cyrus fan.” It’s been a long time coming, and by no means implies interest in everything she’s ever done. If you think this sounds absurd, click on this link, … Continue reading 12 Songs for Christmas: I Got So High That I Saw Jesus
12 Songs for Christmas: “River” with Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter
Possibly my favorite Christmas song ever, which of course was written by Joni Mitchell. Performed here with worthy vocals but the real point is the song and the exceedingly fine jazz arrangement. Mike drop! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1dsuUzJOBs Believe it or not, some of the other songs on this album are even better. This record is a must-listen … Continue reading 12 Songs for Christmas: “River” with Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter
12 Songs for Christmas: Heavy Balloon
I said that my “12 Songs for Christmas” would be unranked. But that is with an asterisk because there is zero doubt in my mind about the album of the year—and with clear separation from everything else I've heard. For a change this is by consensus—pretty much all the critics agree. I was getting … Continue reading 12 Songs for Christmas: Heavy Balloon
12 Songs for Christmas: Christmas in Washington
“It’s Christmas time in Washington, and the Democrats rehearse. Getting into gear for [an upcoming] year of things not getting worse. Republicans drink whiskey neat and thank their lucky stars. [Thanks to Senate minority rule, with Wyoming voters weighing 68 times more than Californians] There’ll be no more FDRs.” So said Steve Earle, more or less, … Continue reading 12 Songs for Christmas: Christmas in Washington
12 Songs for Christmas: Staffansvisa
Let’s recall that we embarked on 12 days of Christmas songs, unranked, and on the second day I premiered my new English-language lyrics for a Swedish tune that I first heard earlier this month in a concert by Harald Haugaard and Helene Blum's band. Here it is again in a remarkably fine performance by students … Continue reading 12 Songs for Christmas: Staffansvisa
12 Songs for Christmas: Kanye’s Christmas Opera
A year ago, Kanye West was in the news because he had premiered a high-concept and well-publicized Christmas “opera” at Lincoln Center. I wrote about it then, and today I am bringing this earlier reflection back so that people have another chance to find it. I do this, in part, because of how interestingly this … Continue reading 12 Songs for Christmas: Kanye’s Christmas Opera
12 Songs for Christmas: Ice Age Paradise
Today I want to share my favorite song from what, in my experience, ranks among the most sadly unknown and underrated records ever made: Ice Age Paradise, by Sienna Dahlen. https://siennadahlen1.bandcamp.com/track/ice-age-paradise I learned of Dahlen when I spent a semester working in Edmonton, Alberta, and hung out at the great jazz club there called Yardbird … Continue reading 12 Songs for Christmas: Ice Age Paradise
MBE: Mark's blogging experiment 