Innovation vs. Information Overload (Revisited)
Sean MurphyLouis CK’s eloquent rant on smartphones quickly went viral and is already considered an instant classic. We should appreciate the opportunity to engage in this debate: are our electronic devices,…
Butch Warren, R.I.P. (Two Years Later)
I know I sound like a broken record on these occasions but the simple fact of the matter is this: there are artists leaving our planet who can't --and in…
John Berg, RIP
Being responsible for one unforgettable (and influential) album cover would seem more than enough to qualify for a life well-lived. But John Berg dropped more than a handful of immortal…
A Century of Sound (in under 4 minutes)
Sun Ra 1968 "Pleasant Twilight" from the wonderfully titled My Brother The Wind, Vol. 2. Duke Ellington on acid? Yes, and a lot more. It slams out of the gate…
1492 B.C. (Before Columbus)
Before my annual anti-tribute, let me turn the spotlight to The Oatmeal. If you have not seen THIS yet, do so as soon as possible. Little Roy: Dead Man: The…
Point/Counterpoint: Sean Beaudoin vs. Sean Murphy – the 90’s Edition (Revisited)
Point/Counterpoint is a beloved feature that first appeared in the fall ’72 Telex edition of the Weeklings. PC/P is the product of an intellectual tradition hearkening back to storied Oxford…
Sleater-Kinney: The Woods (Revisited)
Cont'd: PopMatters is doing some heavy lifting in the service of setting the historical record straight. Starting today, they are assessing the Top 100 albums of the last decade. I…
Iron And Wine: The Shepherd’s Dog (Revisited)
PopMatters is doing some heavy lifting in the service of setting the historical record straight. Starting today, they are assessing the Top 100 albums of the last decade. I contributed…
How About Some Unironic Love for Emerson, Lake & Palmer?
Here are three words that strike fear in the hearts of all those allergic to prog rock: Emerson. Lake. Palmer. Popular enough to have several songs still in the regular…
The Power of Political Narrative: Part One, The GOP (Revisited)
LIKE MOST EVERYONE ELSE I know, I grew up—really grew up, if I’ve ever actually grown up—in the Reagan 80’s. Take my childhood, please. Actually, it wasn’t all that bad,…