It's a sad day for me. While I am always somewhat loathe to admit it, I've been an inveterate Pitchfork reader for years. But, following the recent news that the loved (and hated!) music website will be swallowed up by GQ, I sense the end of an era. It's impossible to understate the influence that … Continue reading On the death of Pitchfork
Category: Musicality
On Selena and English
Until yesterday, I knew little about the late Tejano star Selena save for her tragic death at the hands of her friend. (Who was also the president of her fan club! And stealing money from her! It’s a crazy story if you don’t know it.) I decided to remedy this cultural ignorance by putting on … Continue reading On Selena and English
On the deviousness of certain Christmas songs
I don’t mean devious in topic matter—I’m talking musical structure. For the past couple years—having overcome a certain Scroogey tendency (and having improved as a guitar player)—I like to pick up the old axe and break out the holiday songbook. (Metaphorically, I mean—I use the Guitar Tabs app.) And, every year, I am blown away … Continue reading On the deviousness of certain Christmas songs
On the party that was Shane MacGowan’s funeral
It seems an odd thing to say—but I delighted in the clip of Shane MacGowan’s funeral. The clip of Glen Hansard leading a motley crew of Irish musicians through a mournful but stills somehow joyous version of “Fairytale of New York” is something to behold. It wasn’t all so joyous, of course. The clip of … Continue reading On the party that was Shane MacGowan’s funeral
On when we stopped thinking of musical interpretation as art
I watched a couple clips of American Idol the other night. Miraculously, I've made it through 33 years without so much as seeing a snippet of the iconic show. I knew of it, of course—it was hard to avoid American Idol, especially in its heyday, when America still legitimately seemed to watch the same TV … Continue reading On when we stopped thinking of musical interpretation as art
On the bard of our generation
I heard “American Pie” the other day for the first time in a while. What a song! Way long, thick with cultural references, it feels like the codex for the Boomer generation. The Millennial version of this? Maybe the 10-minute version of “All Too Well.” Way long, dense with personal references, Swift’s tune—just like with … Continue reading On the bard of our generation
On daydreaming life as a solo artist or life in a band
I don't love statements that divide the world into two types of people, but I can't help but wonder: Do some people daydream about a music career as a solo artist while others dream of a music career in a band? Speaking for myself—as a younger person, mainly, plonking away at godawful songs on my … Continue reading On daydreaming life as a solo artist or life in a band
On the genius of Hayes Carll
Shame on me—I only just this past week listened to You Get It All, the indelible 2021 album from Hayes Carll. I’ve been a Carll fan for some time and have never understood why he’s flown so under the radar. A handful of his songs—“Drunken Poet’s Dream,” “KMAG YOYO,” and “American Dream”—are among my favorite … Continue reading On the genius of Hayes Carll
On songwriters knowing their songs
It should be no surprise that songwriters have a good ear for songs. But it never fails to surprise me how tribute albums to celebrated songwriters—like the recently released one for Nanci Griffith—are not merely a collection of greatest hits covers. Some of the songs on this album are classics—including one of my favorites, “Love … Continue reading On songwriters knowing their songs
On a better Tim
Okay, fine—I’ll join the chorus: The new mix of Tim—the perhaps appropriately unloved major label debut from The Replacement released waaaaaaaaay back before I was born—is phenomenal. I never doubted the original, by the way. I’ve read half a dozen critics reflecting on the new mix, and they all confess to some level of irritation … Continue reading On a better Tim
Taylor Coe 