In my life, I’ve encountered people who are truly committed to social justice, equality, fairness, and a political program that might reasonably be called progressive. I’m always struck by how many of these people are Rush fans. Dedicated fans, too; fans who’d surely count the members of Rush among their favorite musicians, if not their personal […]
Author Archives: tris
About 2019: Miscellaneous Stuff
You Didn’t Think You Were Getting Away Without A Topical Essay, Did You? America is twenty-two trillion dollars in debt. That this is a fiscal crisis should be obvious to everyone. It’s also a moral crisis. Regardless, the current administration continues to boast about the rude health of the national economy. The value of the stock market […]
Listening Schedule 2019
Some years have great albums, some have great singles, some are dense with interesting recordings, some are loaded with powerful, individual musical personalities. 2019 had all of that.
The role of the critic in the era of hype
Suppose I wrote a review of your next recording that went like this: “The new Dogslayer album is a standard set of pop songs of average quality, played competently but without distinction by the band. The guitarist and drummer zigzag between performances that are capable and others that feel merely adequate. The singer hits his […]
Critics Poll XXIX — My Ballot
I have always loved music videos. I loved the first generation of grainy promotional spots for new wave bands, I loved Michael Jackson’s choreography and Russell Mulcahey’s cinematic interventions, I loved ZZ Top and their keychain and Prince humping the floor. It was all magic to me, and it continues to be a mystery why […]
Critics Poll XXIX — Singles, etc.
Single Of The Year Caroline Rose – “Soul No. 5” Ezra Furman – “Love You So Bad” Metric – “Now Or Never Now” Soccer Mommy – “Scorpio Rising” Kali Uchis – “Tyrant” Now, Now – “AZ” Janelle Monae – “Make Me Feel” Drake – “In My Feelings” Vince Staples – “Fun” Andrew McMahon In The […]
Critics Poll XXIX — Various Chartbusters
Most Convincing Historical Re-creation Father John Misty — God’s Favorite Customer. For once this guy served me an onion that doesn’t make me want to cry when I slice it. Of course he did it by abandoning the pretense that he’s a Randy Newman acolyte and mimicking Elton John instead. Elton, great as he is, […]
Loaded words
Everybody fears semantics, and for good reason — there’s no quicker or more annoying way to bog down a discussion than by starting an argument over definitions. You might reckon that we’ve got enough fights going on right now, and we hardly need to start another one about words. Yet public discourse in America has […]
Pass the gavel
In a little less than two weeks, the Democratic Party has a chance to win back control of the House of Representatives. Should this happen, you can expect investigations on anything and everything related to the past activities of the slobs who presently govern us. There will be grandstanding and grotesqueries. There will be hot […]
My List For 2017
To some, I guess, they were a stoner band – they made songs ideal to light up to. That’s a fine approach to Pink Floyd, even if it wasn’t mine. For other fanatics, Pink Floyd were soundscapers in the prog tradition, immediately identifiable instrumentalists who made music that was effortlessly immersive. Put on a Floyd […]