Show Me the Money, I Show You the Verve

I’ve got a few things on my mind today but nothing that adds up to a whole post, so here’s the odds and ends.
The news that the Who (or what passes for it these days as long as Keith Moon and John Entwistle remain dead) might be playing at the Super Bowl halftime this year [...]

And Now, 600 Words About “You Light Up My Life”

Everybody hates something, and often, our choices are highly personal. Nevertheless, there’s a certain consensus about the most reviled Top-40 hits of all time: “Muskrat Love,” “You’re Having My Baby,” “Run Joey Run,” and “Seasons in the Sun” would make most people’s lists, I think. And “You Light Up My Life,” too. In my experience, [...]

Top 5: Get It From the Bottom

One of my favorite posts in the history of this blog appeared three years ago this week, about the darkness audible on Top 40 radio in the fall of 1969 via the WLS chart from the week of November 10. There are other ways to look at the same week, of course—how dark could it [...]

I’ll Do It, Maybe

At this blog, I pride myself on offering not merely entertainment, but anything else you, the esteemed blog reader, might need. I have limits, however. Here’s a short list of six things I’ll do, and four things I won’t.
“I’ll Make Love to You Anytime”/Eric Clapton. From Backless, an album that many critics consider lifeless to [...]

And I Can’t Think of a Good Title, Either

You may have noticed a distinct lack of activity in this space this week. My official excuse is that I’ve got actual remunerative labor to do, but not much of that been done either, as I’ve been fighting a cold that’s reduced my enthusiasm for everything apart from huddling under a blanket on the couch. [...]

Avast Me Hearties, There’s Music Afoot

Like 10 million people across the country, I bought Norah Jones’ debut album Come Away With Me in 2002. I wanted to like it more than I do. It’s pleasant enough, but every song sounds like every other song. (That wasn’t a problem on her 2003 alt-country project, the Little Willies, which I’ve listened to [...]