Play It (Over and Over Again) Play It (Over and Over Again)
Ben Ratliff's not-quite biography of John Coltrane considers the jazz legend's enduring influence.
Oct 25, 2007 / Books & the Arts / Travis A. Jackson
What’s Radiohead Worth? What’s Radiohead Worth?
The British rockers stick a fork in the recording industry by offering downloads of a new album for whatever fans want to pay. Oh, the anguish.
Oct 15, 2007 / Books & the Arts / Peter C. Baker
Sound Check Sound Check
The history of twentieth-century music charts the rise of modern masters like Duke Ellington and John Adams.
Oct 11, 2007 / Books & the Arts / David Schiff
Spirit Chaser Spirit Chaser
Listening to Sonny Rollins for the first time. Again.
Oct 4, 2007 / Books & the Arts / David Yaffe
Jena: Take Your Nooses Down Jena: Take Your Nooses Down
A schoolyard fight in Jena, Louisiana, fueled by hateful symbols of the Jim Crow era, prompted John Mellencamp to write this song. Watch the video.
Oct 3, 2007 / Books & the Arts / The Nation
Political Punk: Rage Against the Band Political Punk: Rage Against the Band
Now with a major label, political punk rockers Against Me! have released what may be the year's best album. But have they sold out?
Sep 28, 2007 / Books & the Arts / Akiva Gottlieb
Farm Aid Raises a Vision Farm Aid Raises a Vision
What began as an attempt to help financially strapped farmers in the Reagan years has grown into a visionary political and social movement rooted in the agrarian values of the Amer...
Sep 10, 2007 / Books & the Arts / Max Fraser
Arthur: The Little Magazine That Could Arthur: The Little Magazine That Could
You thought Arthur was gone for good? The indie magazine beloved for its music coverage and antiwar politics will resume publishing this summer.
Jul 11, 2007 / Books & the Arts / Kevin McCarthy
On the Porch in the Seventh Ward On the Porch in the Seventh Ward
As the New Orleans Jazz Fest unfolded, a down-home celebration, bright with beads, sequins and feathers, took place in the city's poorest neighborhoods.
May 22, 2007 / Books & the Arts / Billy Sothern
Hip-Hop’s E-Z Scapegoats Hip-Hop’s E-Z Scapegoats
There's a big difference between the misogynous hip-hop produced by big media and the hip-hop that moves a generation.
May 8, 2007 / Books & the Arts / Jeff Chang and Dave Zirin