pop Archive
28 Oct 2017
Ten 100-word Reviews: Archival/Reissue Releases
With a great deal of my time these days spent working on my new book and various artist interviews, I tend to amass a backlog of albums for review. To […]
23 Sep 2017
Hundred-word Reviews: September 2017
Time for some more hundred-word reviews; new music from many different genres. Linsey Alexander – Two Cats (Delmark) A lot of modern-day blues has a sterility that makes it the […]
13 Sep 2017
Album Review: Various Artists — Songs, Bond Songs
Andrew Curry‘s label has released an impressive clutch of tribute-type albums, including ones focusing on 80s pop, “lite rock” and so on. For the most part, the artists involved tend […]
12 Sep 2017
Album Review: Secret Agent 23 Skidoo — Mozartistic
At its best, kid-hop is a family friendly version of hip-hop, with lyrics full of universal appeal. Because while not everyone can identify with slice-of-life reality depicted in some rap […]
08 Sep 2017
Jimmy Webb: A Consummate Tale-spinner (Part 4 / Conclusion)
Continued from Part Three… Over the years, several recording artists have chosen to record entire albums of nothing but Jimmy Webb songs. Johnny Rivers was the first to do so, […]
07 Sep 2017
Jimmy Webb: A Consummate Tale-Spinner (Part Three)
Continued from Part Two… Webb thinks he knows why the songs-and-stories format works well for artists who have been around awhile. “It becomes easier with age,” he says. “I remember […]
06 Sep 2017
Jimmy Webb: A Consummate Tale-spinner (Part Two)
Continued from Part One… “It’s an enviable position to be in,” Webb says, “when you have an artist coming to you – like Mr. [Frank] Sinatra – saying, ‘I need […]
05 Sep 2017
Jimmy Webb: A Consummate Tale-spinner (Part One)
Jimmy Webb is a pop music treasure. Viewed in terms of numbers and statistics, he’s among the most successful songwriters of all time. His songs have been recorded by more […]
14 Aug 2017
Album Review: BJ Leiderman — BJ
You know that Morning Edition theme on National Public Radio? BJ Leiderman wrote that, and a lot more for NPR besides. Understandably wanting to trade on those achievements, the 61-year […]
11 Aug 2017
New Music Review Roundup, Part 3
Today I wrap up three days’ worth of reviews of new music. Dig if you will. The Pollyseeds – Sounds of Crenshaw, Vol. 1 As far as I know, none […]