Album Review: Jonathan Coulton — Solid State
File next to: Sufjan Stevens, Fountains of Wayne, The Might Be Giants
Jonathan Coulton’s career is something of a paradox: he’s far from being a household name; he’s never had a charting hit single. Yet he made more than a half million dollars from his songwriting in a single year. Coulton has cracked the code of how to make music on his terms, and put food on the table while doing so. He also makes thought-provoking music full of melody and subtle riches. His ninth and latest, Solid State is – of all things – a concept album about current-day technology and all that goes with it (the internet, social media, artificial intelligence, trolls, etc.). But first and foremost he’s a songwriter, and the lovely melodies in which he places his lyrics are the biggest draw of the album. Coulton’s inerrant way with a melody means that his songs will be resolutely stuck in the listener’s head.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, will be published in December 2021 by HoZac Books.