A Songstories Prompt
Life with Camera Obscura
Maybe ten years ago, well after the album kicked out in 2009, my friend Les introduced me to Camera Obscura, particularly the title song of that album, “My Maudlin Career.” …
A Concert movie that changed me
But a no-show at the Iron Bowl
Yesterday I kept thinking about how much I’d love to talk to my parents, to hear their voices and tell them so many things, like how they’ll soon be great-grandparents, and how well they raised us. And how much I just miss them. …
Jessica Hopper is a great writer to start with
I’ll write a larger review about this soon, but seeing for the first time Squeeze the Avocado’s prompt [https://medium.com/counterarts/what-do-you-advocate-for-909527d4e322], I had to fire off this response, mainly because the prompt came back in November and I always hate to turn up in those last few minutes before the host is…
Classic Album Reviews, Pt. 2
Let Kacey Musgraves take you there
I know that Kacey Musgraves’ second album, Pageant Material, isn’t a classic yet, but it could be one day. And should be.
“Slept in a room with the ghost of Gram Parsons
Drank some wine I can’t afford
Went to San Antonio to the Riverwalk and the rodeo
Seen the white cliffs of…
Music Memories with My Family
Yes, you heard that right
I am not ashamed to say that my family and I were great and faithful patrons of K-Mart in those days before that mega-giant went bankrupt due to the Wal-Mart-ization of America. I suppose K-Mart’s idea of discount prices were a Double-A baseball team’s relationship to the majors. The old…
Classic Album Reviews, Pt. 5
Lou makes high school football a kick
In 1976, I was two years removed from high school. Removed in the sense of having graduated sixth in my class, though what distinguishes class in high school eluded me then and still does today. …
The Riff’s Worst Best Album Series
The Reagan years and the “Worst” Best LP of 1980
I voted for neither Reagan nor Carter in 1980. I took the John Anderson route, and before you ask, no, the lead vocalist for Yes didn’t spell his first name with an “H” (just like George Costanza discovers when he buys “JOHN Voight’s car, a LeBaron). …
A Course I Hope to Teach, Pt. 13
Please Kill Me and other assorted notes
I guess it’s not surprising that so many glam and punk rockers from the 70’s and 80’s died untimely deaths. If you’d asked me what caused the majority of these deaths, I’d have answered — like most of you, I think —
“Drug Overdose.”
And yes, many did, like The…
Panic in Detroit and an old tower
Maybe I don’t keep up as I should, not knowing when or why certain songs receive airplay, or if in the doing, they’re pushed by the artist, the record company, or a program director/DJ from your favorite radio station.
Of course I knew Bowie by 1975, had already acquired three…
And we were all so young and semi-vain
Recently I decided to bolster my vinyl collection with several Joni Mitchell albums. For me, Joni is like a glass of single malt scotch. I appreciate it and will certainly accept it, and to some extent, even enjoy it.
But I prefer bourbon, especially Four Roses Single Barrel.
So if…
