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Steve Horowitz

About Steve Horowitz

Steven Horowitz has a Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of Iowa, where he continues to teach a three-credit online course on "Rock and Roll in America". He has written for many different popular and academic publications including American Music, Paste and the Icon. Horowitz is a firm believer in Paul Goodman's neofunctional persepctive on culture and that Sam Cooke was right, a change is gonna come.

Features

Books

Like a Boyd on a Wire

[2.Aug.07] :. PopMatters talks to Joe Boyd, a man at the center of the folk, rock and blues scenes of the 1960s who lived to tell the tale. "The whole notion of folk music and an appreciation of things that are more rural and more traditional and more rustic than our lives are now is the privilege of the middle class."

Recent features

 

Music

British Music During Its Most Fertile Period

[10.May.07] :. Before The Beatles and other British Invasion artists set foot in the United States, young people already saw folk music as a safe and respectable entity. Even Jerry Lewis knew that. No wonder Bob Dylan plugged in and went electric.

Recent features

 

PopMatters Picks: The Best Music of 2006

Best Folk of 2006

[20.Dec.06] :. English and Scottish ballads, Cajun songs, protest music, and covers of everything from Mississippi John Hurt to Prince populate this year's notable folk records.

PopMatters Picks: The Best Music of 2006

 

Music

"My Tastes Don't Evolve; They Broaden": An Interview with Robert Christgau

[17.Oct.06] :. At a transitional moment in his career, one of pop music's best-known and most-respected critics talks about the changes in culture, academia, and journalism.

Recent features

 

Music

Sugar Hill Records: 25 Years and Going Strong

[2.Oct.06] :. Sugar Hill's early recordings possessed an aural purity that met people's hunger for authenticity and also seemed fresh and new. There was something honest about the sounds of the banjo, dobro, fiddle, and mandolin, and the way they mixed together.

Recent features

 

Reviews

Music

Carly Simon: This Kind of Love

[8.May.08] :. Like a carnival mask, this public image really isn’t meant to fool you as much as to set the mood. The overriding vibe can be simply described as the sweetness of love.

Recent Music reviews

 

Music

Hayes Carll: Trouble in Mind

[10.Apr.08] :. Carll’s voice sounds like he’s halfway laughing and halfway crying, but he’s always a sucker for a good joke. He knows there’s more depth in humor than pathos -- and it’s a lot more fun.

Recent Music reviews

 

Music

Kathy Mattea: Coal

[3.Apr.08] :. Mattea may claim to have coal mining in her blood and bleed whenever a mountaintop is sheared for ore, but that doesn’t really matter. What matters is the music, and the music is terrific.

Recent Music reviews

 

Music

Auktyon: Girls Sing

[31.Mar.08] :. For Auktyon, even the more holistic tunes tend to verge towards chaos and anarchy. The margins always threaten to break apart.

Recent Music reviews

 

Music

Simon & Garfunkel: Live 1969

[26.Mar.08] :. Though certain themes and feelings still ring true, the poor quality of these recordings make the compilation come off as more of a patchwork affair.

Recent Music reviews

 

Music   Robin Danar: Altered States

Music   Caroline Herring: Lantana

Music   Carlene Carter: Stronger

Music   Malcolm Holcombe: Gamblin' House

Music   Wednesday Week: What We Had

Music   Ben Vaughn Combo: Beautiful Thing

Music   Jim Lauderdale & The Dream Players: Honey Songs

Music   Emerson, Lake & Palmer: Works Volume 1 and 2

Music   Walter Hyatt: Some Unfinished Business

Music   David Ford: Songs for the Road

Music   Various Artists: Soul Summit

Music   The Heavy Circles: The Heavy Circles

Music   Ana Egge: Lazy Days

Music   Brad Goode: Nature Boy

Music   Michael Showalter: Sanwiches & Cats

Music   Ray Bonneville: Goin By Feel

Music   Jonathan Segel: Honey

Music   The Sojourners: Hold On

Music   The Gilded Bats: The Gilded Bats

Music   Various Artists: Love Goes On

Music   Lisa O'Kane: It Dont Hurt

Music   George Strait: 22 More Hits

Music   The Gglitch: Scenes From the Good Life

Music   Robert Plant and Alison Krauss: Raising Sand

Featured Article

Music

5th Dimension: Up, Up and Away/The Magic Garden

[16.Nov.07] :. Fortunately, the group and its manager discovered two of America’s best songwriters at the beginning of their careers: Jimmy Webb and Laura Nyro, as well as the now legendary producer Bones Howe.

Recent Music reviews

 

Music   Various Artists: Song of America

Music   Various Artists: Sound of the City

Music   Pieta Brown: Remember the Sun

Music   Kane Welch Kaplin: Kane Welch Kaplin

PopMatters Pick

Music

Mary Gauthier: Between Daylight and the Dark

[8.Oct.07] :. The grit in Gauthier's throat and ache in her voice resonate with the experience of one who has been there and done that, and knows better now.

Recent Music reviews

 

Music   Three Tenors of Soul: All the Way From Philadelphia

Books   Marked by Devah Pager

Music   Various Artists: Give Us Your Poor

Events   Bumbershoot feat. Joss Stone, John Legend, Wu-Tang Clan, the Shins, Fergie, and Panic! At the Disco

Music   Various Artists: Sowing the Seeds

Music   Various Artists: Four Decades of Folk Rock

Music   Derailers: Under the Influence of Buck

Music   Suzy Bogguss: Sweet Danger

Music   Greg Brown: Yellow Dog

Music   Adam Levy: Washing Day

Music   The Mugwumps: The Mugwumps

Music   Gretchen Peters: Burnt Toast & Offerings

Music   Jennifer Warnes: Famous Blue Raincoat: The Songs of Leonard Cohen, 20th Anniversary Edition

Music   Dale Watson: Little Darlin Sessions

Music   Eliza Gilkyson: Your Town Tonight

Featured Article

Music

Stephen Stills: Just Roll Tape -- April 26, 1968

[2.Aug.07] :. Stills' great gifts as a songwriter, guitar player and singer have never been better revealed.

Recent Music reviews

 

Music   Robert Gordon and Chris Spedding featuring the Jordanaires: The King and I

Music   Serena Ryder: If Your Memory Serves You Well

Music   Chris Fortier: As long as the Moment Exists

Music   Kim Richey: Chinese Boxes

Music   Maria Muldaur: Naughty, Bawdy and Blue

Music   Carey and Lurrie Bell: Gettin Up

DVDs   Tom Jones: This is Tom Jones [DVD]

Music   Bruce Robison: It Came from San Antonio

Music   Pam Tillis: Rhinestoned

Music   Balkan Beat Box: Nu Med

Music   Jorma Kaukonen: Stars in My Crown

Music   Various Artists: Jewface

Music   The Town Criers: Live in San Francisco

Music   Peggy Seeger: Three Score and Ten

Music   Kate Havnevik: Melankton

Music   Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Ray Price: Last of the Breed Volume 1

Music   David Bromberg: Try Me One More Time

Music   Chuck E. Weiss: 23rd & Stout

Music   The Roches: Moonswept

Music   Lloyd Price: Specialty Profiles

Music   Kendra Shank: A Spirit Free

Music   Sam Cooke and the Soul Stirrers: Specialty Profiles

Music   Bobby Conn: King For a Day

Music   Richard Swift: Dressed Up for the Letdown

Music   Delbert McClinton: Live from Austin, TX

Music   John Sebastian: John B. Sebastian / Tarzana Kid / Welcome Back

DVDs   The Three Stooges - Hapless Half-Wits (2007)

Music   Fats Domino: Live from Austin, TX

Music   daButch Hancock: War and Peace

Music   Donal Clancy: Close to Home

Music   Various Artists: Globalista Radio: Sensual Sonores

Music   Allen Clapp: Something Strange Happens

Music   Bobby Bare: A Bird Named Yesterday/Talk Me Some Sense

Music   Forro in the Dark: Bonfires of São João

Music   All India Radio: Each Other

Music   David Grisman and Andy Statman: New Shabbos Waltz

Music   Custom Made: Sidewalk Mindtalk

Music   Isobel Campbell: Milkwhite Sheets

Music   David Mallett: Midnight On The Water

Music   Various Artists: The Source Presents Fat Tape Compilation Volume One

Music   Dr. Dog: Takers and Leavers

Music   Various Artists: Why the Hell Not…: The Songs of Kinky Friedman

Music   Edie Carey: Another Kind of Fire

Music   Stephanie McKay: Stephanie McKay [EP]

DVDs   Sandy Denny: Sandy Denny Under Review [DVD]

Music   Willie Nelson: Songbird

Music   Ronnie Milsap: The Essential Ronnie Milsap

Music   Various Artists: Outlaw Country: Austin City Limits - Live from Austin, TX

Music   Guy Clark: Workbench Songs

Music   Kasey Chambers: Carnival

Music   Pere Ubu: Why I Hate Women

Music   Jim Lauderdale: Country Super Hits Volume One

Music   Chris Smither: Leave the Light On

Music   Steve Goodman: Live at the Earl of Old Town

Music   Greg Brown: The Evening Call

Music   The South Jersey Seashore Lifeguard Convention Band: Wave Goodbye

Music   The Meat Purveyors: Someday Soon Things Will Be Much Worse!

Music   Butch Walker: The Rise and Fall of Butch Walker and the Lets-Go-Out Tonites

Music   Andre Williams and the Diplomats of Solid Sound: Aphrodisiac

Music   Raul Malo: Youre Only Lonely

Music   Robert Earl Keen: Live at the Ryman

Music   Various Artists: Easy to be Free

Music   Ramblin Jack Elliott: I Stand Alone

Music   Wa-Zimba: Mande Wazy

Music   Big Bill Broonzy: Amsterdam Live Concerts 1953

Music   Various Artists: The Pilgrim: A Celebration of Kris Kristofferson

Music   Rhonda Vincent: All American Bluegrass Girl

Music   Vetiver: To Find Me Gone

Music   Sir Douglas Quintet: Live from Austin, Texas

Music   Big Al Anderson: After Hours

Music   Mason Jennings: Boneclouds

Music   Mick Moloney: McNally's Row of Flats (Irish American Songs of Old New York, by Harrigan and Br

Music   Bananarama: Drama

Music   Asha Bhosle: Love Supreme

Music   Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass: Whipped Cream and Other Delights Rewhipped

Music   Marshall Chapman: Mellowicious!

Music   Roy Orbison: The Essential Roy Orbison

Books   Half/Life: Jew-ish Tales from Interfaith Homes by Laurel Snyder (editor)

Music   Candi Staton: His Hands

Music   Gary Bennett: Human Condition

Music   Jive 5: Collectors Gold Series

Music   Various Artists: Heartworn Highways

Music   The Lucky Tomblin Band: In a Honky-Tonk Mood

DVDs    Tony Joe White: Live from Austin City Limits [DVD + CD]

Music   Sissel: Into Paradise

Music   The Duhks: Your Daughters and Your Sons

Music   Oysterband: The Big Session Volume 1

Music   Various Artists: Complete Verve Remixed Deluxe Box

Music   Various: I am the Resurrection

Music   Shawn Amos: Thank You Shirl-ee May (A Love Story)

Music   The Go-Betweens: That Striped Sunlight Sound

Music   Various: Doo-Wop Forever

Music    Davy Graham: Large As Life and Twice As Natural

Music    Joy Lynn White: One More Time

Music    Maria Muldaur: Sweet Lovin' Ol' Soul

Music    Bebo Valdés: Bebo de Cuba

Music    Various Artists: This Bird Has Flown: A 40th Anniversary Tribute to the Beatles' Rubber Soul

Music    John Doyle: Wayward Son

Music    Various Artists: Searching for Soul: Rare & Classic Soul, Funk & Jazz from Michigan 1968-1980

Music    Various Artists: Visions of an Inner Mounting Apocalypse: A Fusion Guitar Tribute

Books   Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish by Abigail Pogrebin

Music    The Morells: Think About It

Music    Blood of Abraham: Eyedollartree

Music    Al Kooper: Black Coffee

Music    The Frank & Joe Show: 66 2/3

Music    James McMurtry: Childish Things

Music    Dr. Israel: Inna City Pressure [remastered]

Music    Amy Rigby: Little Fugitive

Music    Terry Allen: The Silent Majority (Terry Allen's Greatest Missed Hits)

Music    Patti LaBelle: Classic Moments

DVDs    The Mamas and the Papas: California Dreamin': The Songs of the Mamas and Papas [DVD]

Music    Vivian Green: Vivian

Music    Keely Smith: Vegas '58 -- Today

Music    Missy Elliott: The Cookbook

DVDs   Wanted: Dead or Alive: Season One

Music    John Hiatt: Master of Disaster

Music    Bobby Valentino: self-titled

Music    Jordan Chassan: East of Bristol, West of Knoxville

Music    Various Artists: A Tribute to Billy Joe Shaver - Live

Books   Snow White and Russian Red by Dorota Maslowska

Music    Bobby Conn and the Glass Gypsies: Live Classics, Volume 1

Music    Sparrow: The Early Years

DVDs    Johnny Cash: Johnny Cash: Ridin' the Rails (The Great American Train Story) [DVD]

DVDs    Various Artists: Basement TV, Vol. 1 [DVD]

Music    David Olney: Migration

Music    Cheb i Sabbah: La Kahena

Music    Joe Lovano: Joyous Encounter

Music    Robert Earl Keen: What I Really Mean

Music    Capercaillie: Grace and Pride: Anthology 2004-1984

Music    Loudon Wainwright III: Here Come the Choppers!

DVDs    Bobby Darin: Beyond the Song [DVD]

Music    Niyaz: self-titled

DVDs   Runaway Daughters (1994)

DVDs    Nanci Griffith: One Fair Summer Evening... Plus! [DVD]

Music    Various Artists: The Times We're Living In: A Red House Anthology

Music    The Duhks: self-titled

Music    Rory Block: From the Dust

Music    Tweet: It's Me Again

Featured Article

Music

The Decemberists: Picaresque

[22.Mar.05] :. Beware The Decemberists! The band's literate musings take audiences on a journey to the inner mind where ghosts lay in wait and shameful secrets are revealed for your listening pleasure.

Recent Music reviews

 

Music    James King: The Bluegrass Storyteller

 
RECENT MUSIC

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