PinnedMember-onlyYour Morning SongYour Morning Song Three categories: Joyous, Energetic, Thoughtful. Joyous = waking up with hope and confidence that today will be better. Energetic = a double espresso jump start for the day. Contemplative = stay in bed a bit longer to think about your dreams and your hopes for the day. …Music1 min readMusic1 min read
PinnedMember-onlySongs for InsomniacsCome over to the dark side. We have music. A deep dive into a few numbers you might have missed so far on your journey through life. 1: “Midnight Man” by The James Gang 2: “Starless” by the Unthanks 3: “Ach heile mich” by Cassiber 4: “Opening Theme” by Morte Macabre 5: “Gotta Go” by Bud Shank 6: “Night Life” by Ray Price 6a: “Repent Walpurgis” by Procol…Music4 min readMusic4 min read
PinnedMember-onlyMusical ObituariesWhen our beloved musicians die, we feel bereft because we know we’ll never hear anything new from them. An archivist may discover some buried treasure, but that’s not the same…Music1 min readMusic1 min read
Published in Plethora Of Pop·Mar 6Member-onlyTest Your Speakers: A Rate-a-Record ChallengeUsing female vocals to assess music playback — One of my articles yet-to-be-written looks at how the female voice is one of best ways to test your speaker system (especially the crucial midrange). I’m abbreviating that post here as a challenge: how do these three performances stack up (1) against each other and (2) as a test of…Music2 min readMusic2 min read
Published in Plethora Of Pop·Feb 17Member-onlyThe Art of Arrangement, Part 1Five versions of “Walk On By” — Note: with the death of Burt Bacharach, I pulled this draft out of the workshop as a tribute and send-off for one of pop music’s greatest melodists. Cover vs. arrangement Discussions of the merits of a song’s cover versus its original are popular topics here on Medium, and rightly so. But arrangements are…Music4 min readMusic4 min read
Published in Plethora Of Pop·Jan 19Member-onlyTwo Swedish Dialogues and a Brazilian Failed DialogueA surprising Rate-a-Record Challenge — Conflict is the essence of storytelling. Here are three dramatized songs about conflict. You may need to listen to each several times to pick up on the storyline, but I believe you’ll find the experience worthwhile. Hello Saferide, “Long Lost Penpal” Annika Norlin and Firefox AK act out a retrospective drama of a woman reaching…Music2 min readMusic2 min read
Published in Plethora Of Pop·Jan 13Member-only5 Chill Pills for the HospitalOff-brand instrumentals for healing and sleep — Gracias to Paul Combs (Ten Soothing Songs for If I’m Ever in a Comatose State) and Pierce McIntyre (Coma Feel The Noise: Songs I’d Like Played If I’m Ever in a Comatose State), the relaxing prescriptions below are “off brand” because they’re atypical of the louder sort of music we…Harvey Mandel2 min readHarvey Mandel2 min read
Published in Plethora Of Pop·Jan 5Member-onlyThree Touching Songs by Jimmy WebbRate-a-record challenge (Art Garfunkel, Jennifer Warnes, Glenn Campbell) — I hope that these three songs will be a treat for you. The writer (Jimmy Webb) is considered by many one of the greatest modern songsmiths. And the three vocalists (Art Garfunkel, Jennifer Warnes, and Glen Campbell) are among the most esteemed interpreters of our era. As you discuss and…Rate A Record2 min readRate A Record2 min read
Published in Plethora Of Pop·Dec 19, 2022Member-onlyTwo Nostalgic Videos About Aging and LossA Rate A Record challenge for boomers and other survivorsMusic1 min readMusic1 min read
