The strange confluence of pandemic isolation and political divisiveness has people in general (and Americans in particular) in a strange place. As expected, the impact of these times is felt acutely in music. It seems like its effects are ubiquitous with everyone from the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra who edited at home performances into incredibly creative presentations when they could not… Read more »
I’ve loved music since I was a kid. Of course, in my youngest days, I was perhaps a bit more into the breathing fire and spitting blood aspects of it than to the music itself. Outside of the world of music, the influence of my dad looms largest in my life, but he didn’t really care much for music, especially… Read more »
This song is simply inexcusable. It adds no value to the album, and crap like this is why sax has such a bad reputation in the 2000s. Album: Peter Gabriel (aka 3 or Melt)
A few years after 3 came out, The Police released “Every Breath You Take” and showed the world what a song about a stalker could sound like. It also showed how badly Peter Gabriel whiffed with “Intruder.” In trying to represent the song’s character through sliding guitar picks, gated snare drums, and dissonant chords, Gabriel failed to follow the lead… Read more »
On the surface, this is a catchy pop song. Just beneath the surface, it’s a blistering commentary on social and cultural norms that perpetuate war. “Jeux Sans Frontiers” was a French game show that pitted people from different European countries against one another, and “It’s a Knockout” was the British version of the same show. Gabriel uses silly game shows… Read more »
Meute is a German marching band that understands the essence of electronic dance music. Their rendition of Dennis Ferrer’s classic “Hey Hey” embodies everything that is wonderful about house, then takes it to the street and celebrates everything that is wonderful about live music in public spaces. Bob noted how the best covers bring the right amount of both the… Read more »
Old reggae covers of old country songs are a trip. This 1972 recording of Johnny Cash’s story song moves the setting to Jamaica, where the cowboy named Billy Joe becomes a young stupid boy named Joe and the dusty cowpoke is a big dread man. This is a very different, and very cool, way to hear a classic country song…. Read more »
If you drive around Baltimore, you might see a homemade sign advertising Tuff Tony’s new single on YouTube. I saw one on Sinclair Lane the other day and from comments on the video, they are all over. The song isn’t great, but as it sinks in, there is a catchiness that is harder to resist (and forget) as it goes…. Read more »
“More Love,” vocalist/violinist Lili Haydn’s new single from her forthcoming album of the same name name, reminds me of the Scorpions’ ode to the fall of communism, “Winds of Change.” No, I don’t think the CIA wrote Haydn’s latest single. It does however have a very similar hook despite a very different arrangement. It is also a song that comes… Read more »