Born in the 60s, I have often wished I had never lived through the 70s. It was a decade of highly-adept songwriters, with artists like Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, Cat Stevens, and Al Stewart (to name but a few). There was an ill-fated optimism still lingering in the air from my earlier childhood days, no longer unbridled, but still relevant if more realistic and … Continue reading David Bowie ~ I’m Afraid of Americans [1997]
With angelic vocals and a devilish title, this track’s meaning can be quite misleading. Further clarification can be found in its timely release two days prior to its parent album’s drop on April 3rd, 2020. Perhaps even more surprisingly the song is an adeptly layered lyrical defense of womanhood and its historical see-saw characterization from demonization to … Continue reading Purity Ring ~ i like the devil [2⊘2⊘]
It has been variously said that everybody dies twice, first when we have breathed our last breath, and second when our name is spoken for the very last time. The Malagasy people of Madagascar take this philosophy a step further, much further, with a centuries-old funerary tradition … Continue reading Arab Strap ~ The Turning of Our Bones [2⊘2⊘]
An earliest memory of four or five. Alone on a beach with Mom on an unsummery day. Father had gone in search of more wood to build the fire, while Mom earnestly demonstrated its creation by building a teepee of kindling over crumbled napkins or newspaper, whatever had been handy … Continue reading Nine Inch Nails ~ We’re In This Together [1999]
At first glance, what appears to be a song about a child kidnapping rapidly morphs otherwise. In fact, what the song really seems to be about is rather mysterious and cryptic, also perhaps unsurprisingly describing the song’s architects, New York’s “duo-inscrutable”, R. Missing, their song “Unsummering” previously featured here. “She’s not on the playground … Continue reading R. Missing ~ Kelly Was A Philistine [2⊘17]
