Music Bloggers Redux
The music industry’s devil and savior bear the same name: the web. Five years later, we reconvene our panel of music blogfathers for a look into the future.
Mike Deri Smith
Tom Piazza
Author Tom Piazza’s latest novel, City of Refuge, was runner-up in this year’s Tournament of Books. As a music writer, he won a Grammy for his album notes to Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: A Musical Journey. TMN: During the Tournament of Books, David Rees said City
Breakfast, Lunch, and Winners
Lt. Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal has been picked to lead the war in Afghanistan, and on only one meal a day. One week spent in the general’s reduced-calorie footsteps.
We Are All Made of Stars
There are two bands called The Constellations. Discover them both on the same day, and see wonderful images in the sky.
Hauntology
Under stage name Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Will Oldham rejuvenates dark folk trunks. On another stage, Bat For Lashes showers us in electric sunshine and crystalline volcano embers. With Kanye West in the audience, it’s all the better.
Melting the Mind, Washing the Soul
It’s folly to compare your art to corporate power and influence, but David Berman did it and called time on his indie-rock band Silver Jews after 20 years. It’s crucial to note music’s remarkable powers here.
Bottling Miraculous Creativity
Talking about creativity is tough. It’ll be two hundred times harder after you hear Elizabeth Gilbert’s inspiring talk from the TED conference about serendipity that hits your work if you graft hard enough.
Thoreau in the Towel
As the Mayan Calendar ticks towards an apocalyptic finale, some filmmakers use the moment as a rallying cry. Ze Frank and crew have a better plan: Point and laugh in the face of end-times.
Herzog’s Ecstatic Antarctic Truth
Werner Herzog’s “Encounters at The End of the World” is more than whimsical characters and stunning underwater Antarctic photography. It’s about his search for truth, life, and stories, and it thoroughly deserves Academy Award recognition.
Up Anchor!
Needing both musical adventure and safe harbor in times cut between hope and fear, Fever Ray and Anni Rossi reignite old thrills while Emmy The Great and Morrissey chant songs of resilience.