Category Archives: music

music: Look Now, a great Elvis Costello album

Posted on 2018-10-18 by skierpage

Slate’s Carl Wilson said it well “Elvis Costello’s New Album Is His Best This Century” Yes it is. Look Now has the horns and backing vocals of Punch the Clock, more Bacharach collaborations like Painted from Memory, varied production that … Continue reading →

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music: Corduroy transcends Acid Jazz

Posted on 2018-09-22 by skierpage

I somehow found out about Acid Jazz in 1992 entirely through a few compilation CDs. One of them (100% Acid Jazz) contained an effervescent funky pop song called “Mini” by Corduroy, about… the Mini car. I like the way your … Continue reading →

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music: compare and contrast

Posted on 2018-07-01 by skierpage

The most excellent Brandon Harris asked his followers for musical “must pick one” binary choices. My thoughts (I refuse to pick!): Johnny Cash or Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson or Prince Both choices are earthshaking performer vs. musical creator. MJ delivered … Continue reading →

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music: stupidly great and in love

Posted on 2018-02-14 by skierpage

Happy Valentine’s Day! Setting up a global guarantee One of the sweetest love songs is “Wonderful World,” written and performed by Sam Cooke (who rewrote the original Lou Adler & Herb Alpert song). Go listen: Don’t know much about geography … Continue reading →

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music: talent overload on Aretha Franklin recording

Posted on 2017-12-10 by skierpage

“Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)” is a perfect pop song, then check the personnel and it’s not surprising – the talent involved is off the charts. Co-written by Stevie Wonder; Aretha’s own gorgeous piano intro … Continue reading →

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music: RIP Walter Becker 1950–2017

Posted on 2017-09-04 by skierpage

Another one gone. I own all the studio Steely Dan albums up to “Two Against Nature,” they’re simply masterful. A few years ago Google alerted me to a “new” Steely Dan album which turned out to be unauthorized bootlegs of … Continue reading →

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music: Ylvis “Stonehenge” the best comic music video

Posted on 2013-11-24 by skierpage

I was dimly aware of “What the Fox Says,” (now over 240 million views!) but my first exposure to Ylvis was someone mentioning their song “Massachusetts.” It’s light goofy parody, let down by falling back to retro homosexual panic. I … Continue reading →

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music: not paying for ANYTHING

Posted on 2013-11-02 by skierpage

Google Executive: “You Cannot Devalue Music. It’s Impossible” blathers away about  a pyramid of music fans paying more money towards the top and the industry’s solemn duty to encourage fans to migrate higher. Commenter “WhoCares?” nails the money quote, and … Continue reading →

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audio: music reproduction in reverse

Posted on 2013-06-09 by skierpage

TheScraper mused in response to Gizmodo’s post about reconstituting an early recording: I sometimes wonder if current audio recording techniques will ever improve. When we think we’ve hit a brick wall, something else comes around. I remember when I first … Continue reading →

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music: Steve Howe phenomenal guitar work

Posted on 2013-06-09 by skierpage

Yes were boxed in around Tales from Topographic Oceans, repeatedly moving back and forth between pastoral – martial! on long compositions, as you can still hear on the sprawling “Gates of Delirum” on side 1 of their follow-up Relayer. But … Continue reading →

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