Bob Dylan’s Christmas Album: Is this a Joke? Bob Dylan’s Christmas Album: Is this a Joke?
Fans have been puzzled and troubled by Bob Dylan's new Christmas album. To help figure out what Dylan is doing, we turned to Sean Wilentz -- he's the official historian at the offi...
Dec 13, 2009 / Jon Wiener
Waiting for the Miracle: On Leonard Cohen Waiting for the Miracle: On Leonard Cohen
In Leonard Cohen's Afterworld, the trajectory between the latest hit and the wisdom of old has been a long one.
Oct 7, 2009 / Books & the Arts / David Yaffe
People, Let’s Get Our Carbon Down People, Let’s Get Our Carbon Down
From soul to hip-hop: the new environmental movement has a street beat.
Sep 9, 2009 / Books & the Arts / Bill McKibben and Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr.
Back Talk: Jarvis Cocker Back Talk: Jarvis Cocker
A conversation with the former frontman of Pulp about the sound of music in the digital era.
Aug 26, 2009 / Books & the Arts / Christine Smallwood
Solaliquies Solaliquies
Rising to the dare of Martial Solal's mischievous piano playing.
Jul 28, 2009 / Books & the Arts / K. Leander Williams
Whitey on the Moon Whitey on the Moon
Thanks to Liliana Segura for reminding me of the great singer Gil Scott-Heron’s take on Neil Armstrong’s historic moon landing forty years ago today. Scott-Heron recor…
Jul 20, 2009 / Peter Rothberg
Mahler’s Body Mahler’s Body
Gustav Mahler's embrace of Germanness and battles with anti-Semitism.
Jun 24, 2009 / Books & the Arts / David Schiff
Return of the Fabulous Return of the Fabulous
In the end, the vote was silly or sad, but for eighteen weeks on American Idol, Adam Lambert was Everyman and Everygayman, skating the edge of ecstasy and terror.
May 27, 2009 / Books & the Arts / JoAnn Wypijewski
Steve Earle’s Labor of Love Steve Earle’s Labor of Love
The music on Townes, Steve Earle's tribute to Townes Van Zandt, is simple and literally homespun. There is sinew to this music, and blood in the words.
May 26, 2009 / Books & the Arts / Charles P. Pierce
Democracy, on Mic and on Camera Democracy, on Mic and on Camera
A new film offers a nuanced and inspiring portrait of the role hip-hop activists have played in the politics of Senegal.
Apr 21, 2009 / Books & the Arts / Cora Currier