This week’s newsletter has lengthy thoughts on Threads and the future of social media. Then I touched a little on the music and entertainment I enjoyed last week. As always, there’s a playlist of ten songs, and this week’s supporter Q&A post can be found here.
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Read More “Liner Notes (July 9th, 2023)”
We have reached the halfway mark of 2023. Time keeps on moving, doesn’t it? How about spending some time on this Fourth of July holiday recapping the year in music? Below, you will find both our combined staff top 30, as well as individual lists from our contributors and moderators. Hopefully, you will find something new to love.
Note: You can share your own list in our music forum.
Read More “The Best Albums of 2023 (So Far)”
The cynical view of Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour goes something like this: let’s take a cash grab tour of her past lovers and public debacles through songs that may have changed genres two or three times, but all sound the same. (They don’t.)
The critical view goes something like this: after mastering country, pop, and indie, are we looking at the next all-time great? (Ignoring the fact that, if she were a man, she’d already be lauded as being there.)
The delusion fan view goes something like this: Is this algebraic formula an Easter egg? (No.) Taylor Swift is for the girls, gays, and theys and straight men shouldn’t be allowed at the tour. (This is exhausting.) I bought all four versions so I could have a clock. (Okay, this one is more on Taylor’s incredible mind for capitalism; but, c’mon folks, it’s the same record. You only need one copy.) Etc.
Somewhere in the middle of this wild and inaccurate Venn diagram of discourse is the truth: we are witnessing something not quite before seen in history. Taylor has achieved something not seen in decades: monoculture. She’s the zeitgeist. Everyone seemingly has something to say about it. Including me.
Read More “The Eras Tour: Taylor Swift’s Greatest Love Song”
This week’s newsletter has thoughts on the Emo book, thoughts on music out this week, and random musings from a long weekend in the sun. There’s also a playlist of ten songs worth your time, and this week’s supporter Q&A post can be found here.
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Read More “Liner Notes (July 2nd, 2023)”
This week’s newsletter looks at new music out this week and has some other random thoughts about music and entertainment. There’s also a playlist of ten songs worth your time, and this week’s supporter Q&A post can be found here.
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Read More “Liner Notes (June 24th, 2023)”
This week’s newsletter has first impressions of new music from Yellowcard, Anberlin, and PVRIS. Plus, thoughts on new releases from a great week in the pop-punk EP world (Origami Angel, Millington) and a bunch of other music and entertainment I’ve been checking out. As always, there’s a playlist of ten songs worth your time, and this week’s supporter Q&A post can be found here.
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Read More “Liner Notes (June 18th, 2023)”
This week’s newsletter has thoughts on baseball, Last.fm, Marvis, and pop-punk music I like. Surprise!
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Read More “Liner Notes (May 30th, 2023)”
This week’s newsletter has some thoughts on music I enjoyed, as well as some random other thoughts. And there’s a playlist of ten songs I think are worth your time, and this week’s supporter Q&A post can be found here.
If you’d like this newsletter delivered to your inbox each week (it’s free and available to everyone), you can sign up here.
Read More “Liner Notes (May 21st, 2023)”
This week’s newsletter has early impressions of the new Japanese House album, thoughts on a really good week of new pop-punk and pop-punk adjacent music, and a love letter to summer. There’s also a playlist of ten songs worth your time, and this week’s supporter Q&A post can be found here.
If you’d like this newsletter delivered to your inbox each week (it’s free and available to everyone), you can sign up here.
Read More “Liner Notes (May 13th, 2023)”
This week’s newsletter has thoughts on some music I’ve been revisiting, discovering, and enjoying. Plus some other random things and a playlist of ten songs I think are worth your time. This week’s supporter Q&A post can be found here.
If you’d like this newsletter delivered to your inbox each week (it’s free and available to everyone), you can sign up here.
Read More “Liner Notes (May 6th, 2023)”
Record Store Day is the annual celebration of indie record stores that is paired with special vinyl releases across all genres that get fans of the music format excited to join in the party in hopes of obtaining the release(s) they absolutely need for their collection. In this article, I’ll be outlining some of the special releases that brought music fans to the stores in droves, what I was noticing from the in-person and online feedback from attendees of the event, what was working well as well as a few recommendations for future years, and the aftermath of purchasing RSD leftovers online from various indie record stores.
Read More “Record Store Day Roundup: 2023 Edition” A quick little newsletter this week as I check in on a few things I’ve been listening to and enjoying. There’s also a playlist of ten songs worth your time, and this week’s supporter Q&A post can be found here.
If you’d like this newsletter delivered to your inbox each week (it’s free and available to everyone), you can sign up here.
Read More “Liner Notes (April 23rd, 2023)”
A blistering guitar riff filled my ears. Pummeling drums echoed throughout my head. Sultry baritone vocals singing about a love that ached like death took the song home. My friend sat in front of me with a goofy grin waiting for my reaction. “I love this song,” he said. “It’s good, right? They’re a Finnish band called HIM.” We typically spent mornings before 10th-grade history ranking our favorite Green Day songs and debating if they or Blink-182 were the true kings of pop punk. Then one day, it was all about HIM. He started wearing their shirts every day. He obsessed over their music videos. His notebook was slowly taken over by poorly drawn Heartagrams. He spent days taking me through their discography in a desperate attempt to convert me. Nothing really clicked. It’s not that I didn’t like them. They were just okay in my book. But, he didn’t give up convinced he would find the song that would turn me into a fan.
Another morning before history. By now we had the routine down: he’d scroll through his iPod searching for the perfect song, hand me the headphones, and hit play. But this time, something changed. A serene swirling piano greeted me followed by energetic percussion and gentle acoustic guitars that took the song to a different level. The crooning baritone I’ve heard many times before came in sounding sweet and gentle. It was unlike anything I’d heard before. I looked at my friend. He grinned. “The Sacrament” was my introduction to Love Metal and the song that made me a fan. 20 years later, it remains my favorite HIM song.
Read More “Love Metal at 20: The Album That Awakened My Love for HIM”
This week’s newsletter has thoughts on last night’s Blink-182 performance at Coachella as well as some other random comments on music and entertainment I consumed over the past week. As always, there’s also a playlist of ten songs worth your time, and this week’s supporter Q&A post can be found here.
If you’d like this newsletter delivered to your inbox each week (it’s free and available to everyone), you can sign up here.
Read More “Liner Notes (April 15th, 2023)”
This week reflects a little on the last seven years of Chorus, some of the music out this week, and some random other thoughts. There’s also a playlist of ten songs worth your time, and this week’s supporter Q&A post can be found here.
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Read More “Liner Notes (April 8th, 2023)”