Zeth Lundy has been writing for PopMatters since 2004. He is the author of Songs in the Key of Life (Continuum, 2007), and has contributed to the Boston Phoenix, Metro Boston, and The Oxford American. He lives in Boston.
Features
Monday, October 6 2008
Uncool Rising: Why It's OK to Listen to Creedence Clearwater Revival
Why is Creedence Clearwater Revival -- staple of classic-rock radio and formidable singles band -- the epitome of uncool in the eyes of some music separatists?
Thursday, July 10 2008
Shadows No More: An Interview With Eddie Willis of the Funk Brothers
Guitarist Eddie Willis takes us from the beginnings of Motown through the band's current activities, all with a sense of amazement that he's been part of something so big.
Wednesday, June 11 2008
The Dawn That Grows Into Day: High Noons, Twilights, the Beach Boys, and Dennis Wilson
A pair of new Beach Boys releases -- a 16-disc box set of singles and the reissue of Dennis Wilson's Pacific Ocean Blue -- examines the group's resonance beyond the lauded Pet Sounds era.
Tuesday, April 22 2008
Anyone Can Play Guitar: The Replacements on Twin/Tone, 1981-1984
With four albums for the independent Minneapolis label Twin/Tone, the 'Mats rendered the hierarchies and caste system of the rock world irrelevant by remaking rock 'n' roll as an anonymous force.
Friday, August 17 2007
Reflections: Motown in 1967
The latest installment in Hip-O Select's impressive reissue series, The Complete Motown Singles, Volume 7: 1967 collects every A-side and B-side released that year, including planned and deleted singles, as well as alternate and promotional mixes -- 120 tracks in all.
Sly's the Limit [2.Apr.07]
MacGuffin Pop [23.Feb.07]
Pixilated: Frank Capra's Columbia Years [23.Jan.07]
Hoots, Hollers and Barbaric Yawps [19.Jan.07]
New Adventures in Antiquity [3.Nov.06]
The Royal We [10.Jul.06]
Music Day 4: Goodbye, Inescapable Crowdedness [20.Mar.06]
Music Day 3: It Ain't Easy Being Green [19.Mar.06]
Music Day 2: Everything's Bigger in Texas [18.Mar.06]
Music Day 1: Hallelujah and All That Bullshit [17.Mar.06]
The Last Temptation of the Completist [23.Jan.06]
Forever Young: Lolita Turns 50 [16.Sep.05]
The Gentlemen [19.Apr.05]
Best Music of 2004 [6.Dec.04]
Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? [14.Jul.04]
Reviews
Monday, April 6 2009
Coltrane: The Story of a Sound by Ben Ratliff
Ratliff eschews the typical trappings of routine biography to plumb more profound ideas of musical language, identity, and influence.
Wednesday, March 25 2009
La Strada (Essential Art House)
As part of its "Essential Art House" series, the Criterion Collection reissues Fellini's 1954 masterpiece, featuring a nonpareil performance by Giulietta Masina.
Friday, March 20 2009
Isaac Hayes: Black Moses / Juicy Fruit (Disco Freak)
Stax reissues an odd couple of solo albums by its multi-instrumental songwriting genius: the great 1971 double-LP Black Moses and the late-period misstep Juicy Fruit (Disco Freak).
Wednesday, March 18 2009
The Soundtrack of Our Lives: Communion
The Swedish band's fifth full-length is a 90-minute double album consisting of 24 songs -- one for each hour of the day.
Friday, February 20 2009
Bee Gees: Odessa (Deluxe Edition)
The Bee Gees' ambitious 1969 double album, heavy on ballads and emotional reach, is reissued in a three-disc edition that includes stereo and mono mixes, demos, alternate mixes and unreleased tracks.
Rokia Traoré: Tchamantché [14.Jan.09]
Bo Diddley: Gold [17.Nov.08]
Otis Redding: Live in London and Paris [26.Sep.08]
TV on the Radio: Dear Science [22.Sep.08]
I Got the Feelin': James Brown in the '60s [5.Sep.08]
The Individuals: Fields/Aquamarine [3.Sep.08]
High and Low [22.Aug.08]
The Bridges: Limits of the Sky [21.Aug.08]
Boy Genius: Anchorage [1.Aug.08]
David Bowie: Live Santa Monica '72 [25.Jul.08]
All You Need Is Love [22.Jul.08]
Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog: Party Intellectuals [23.Jun.08]
Various Artists: New Orleans Funk, Volume 2 [13.Jun.08]
Sloan: Parallel Play [12.Jun.08]
Supergrass: Diamond Hoo Ha [9.Jun.08]
The Futureheads: This Is Not the World [2.Jun.08]
Love: Forever Changes (Collector's Edition) [23.May.08]
Phantom Planet: Raise the Dead [20.May.08]
The Roots: Rising Down [29.Apr.08]
The Clash: Live Revolution Rock [DVD] [15.Apr.08]
Neon Neon: Stainless Style [21.Mar.08]
The Helio Sequence: Keep Your Eyes Ahead [18.Mar.08]
Whiskeytown: Strangers Almanac [10.Mar.08]
Mike Doughty: Golden Delicious [28.Feb.08]
Nick Lowe: Jesus of Cool [15.Feb.08]
Beck: Odelay [8.Feb.08]
Frank Ciampi: Big Top Woman [18.Jan.08]
Ohmega Watts: Watts Happening [12.Dec.07]
Help! [2.Nov.07]
Aretha Franklin: Rare & Unreleased Recordings from the Golden Reign of the Queen of Soul [26.Oct.07]
John Coltrane: Interplay [25.Oct.07]
John Lee Hooker: Jealous [24.Oct.07]
Elvis Costello: My Aim Is True [19.Oct.07]
The First Films of Samuel Fuller [28.Sep.07]
Porter Wagoner: Wagonmaster [17.Sep.07]
Super Furry Animals: Hey Venus! [5.Sep.07]
James Brown: The Singles, Volume 3: 1964-1965 [30.Aug.07]
The New Pornographers: Challengers [21.Aug.07]
Bumps: Bumps [16.Aug.07]
The Budos Band: The Budos Band II [9.Aug.07]
Buffalo Tom: Three Easy Pieces [1.Aug.07]
The Beau Brummels: Beau Brummels 66 [27.Jul.07]
Spoon: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga [11.Jul.07]
Jason Isbell: Sirens of the Ditch [9.Jul.07]
A Band of Bees: Octopus [14.Jun.07]
David Bowie: Young Americans [8.Jun.07]
Paul McCartney: Memory Almost Full [4.Jun.07]
Various Artists: The Rough Guide to the Blues [29.May.07]
Carla Thomas: The Queen Alone [27.Apr.07]
The Ark: Prayer for the Weekend [20.Apr.07]
Johnnie Taylor: Live at the Summit Club [30.Mar.07]
The Stooges: The Weirdness [27.Mar.07]
Air: Pocket Symphony [5.Mar.07]
Grand Mal: Love Is the Best Con in Town [11.Jan.07]
Ronnie Wood: Anthology: The Essential Crossexion [18.Dec.06]
The Beatles: Love [15.Dec.06]
Various Artists: The In-Kraut Vol. 2 [30.Nov.06]
Pernice Brothers: Live a Little [27.Oct.06]
Exile on Main St by Robert Greenfield [23.Oct.06]
Protokoll: Protokoll [EP] [13.Oct.06]
Beck: The Information [4.Oct.06]
Francine: Airshow [13.Jun.06]
Gnarls Barkley: St. Elsewhere [9.May.06]
Drive-By Truckers: A Blessing and a Curse [14.Apr.06]
Magnet: The Tourniquet [22.Feb.06]
Various Artists: The Transatlantic Folk Box Set [17.Feb.06]
Belle & Sebastian: The Life Pursuit [27.Jan.06]
Talking Heads: 77 / More Songs About Buildings and Food / Fear of Music / Remain in Light [DualDisc [17.Jan.06]
Talking Heads: Talking Heads: 77 / More Songs About Buildings and Food / Fear of Music / Remain in [17.Jan.06]
The Band: A Musical History [23.Dec.05]
The Beatles by Bob Spitz [16.Dec.05]
Ryan Adams: 29 [16.Dec.05]
Beck: Guerolito [7.Dec.05]
Bobby Bare: The Moon Was Blue [9.Nov.05]
Living Things: Ahead of the Lions [3.Nov.05]
Annie Hayden: The Enemy of Love [1.Nov.05]
Adrian Belew: Side Two [26.Oct.05]
Joe Strummer: Walker [21.Oct.05]
Mark Eitzel: Candy Ass [20.Oct.05]
The Gravel Pit [18.Oct.05]
Broken Social Scene: Broken Social Scene [14.Oct.05]
The King of France: The King of France [11.Oct.05]
The Go! Team: Thunder, Lightning, Strike [4.Oct.05]
The Standard: Albatross [3.Oct.05]
Jamiroquai: Dynamite [23.Sep.05]
Super Furry Animals: Love Kraft [22.Sep.05]
Supergrass: Road to Rouen [16.Sep.05]
Koufax: Hard Times Are in Fashion [14.Sep.05]
Greg Dulli: Amber Headlights [9.Sep.05]
Michael Penn: Mr. Hollywood, Jr. 1947 [7.Sep.05]
The New Pornographers: Twin Cinema [19.Aug.05]
Frank Black: Honeycomb [10.Aug.05]
Carolyn Mark: Just Married: An Album of Duets [25.Jul.05]
Chris Whitley: Soft Dangerous Shores [22.Jul.05]
Doveman: The Acrobat [21.Jul.05]
The Fugs: Virgin Fugs [20.Jul.05]
Erin McKeown: We Will Become Like Birds [13.Jul.05]
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band: Jazz Moods: Hot [29.Jun.05]
A Band of Bees: Free the Bees [28.Jun.05]
The Old Haunts: Fallow Field [24.Jun.05]
Nathan Larson: FilmMusik [23.Jun.05]
Without Gravity: Tenderfoot [22.Jun.05]
Pernice Brothers: Discover a Lovelier You [16.Jun.05]
Dwight Yoakam: Blame the Vain [13.Jun.05]
Graham Parker: Songs of No Consequence [8.Jun.05]
Elvis Costello: King of America [3.Jun.05]
Ryan Adams & the Cardinals: Cold Roses [23.May.05]
The Fearless Freaks (2005) [20.May.05]
Robbie Fulks: Georgia Hard [16.May.05]
Spoon: Gimme Fiction [12.May.05]
Headphones: self-titled [9.May.05]
Mike Doughty: Haughty Melodic [5.May.05]
Bluebottle Kiss: Come Across [3.May.05]
Aimee Mann: The Forgotten Arm [29.Apr.05]
The Sights: The Sights [28.Apr.05]
Dig! (2004) [26.Apr.05]
David Francey: The Waking Hour [26.Apr.05]
John Doe: Forever Hasn't Happened Yet [21.Apr.05]
Little Barrie: EP [14.Apr.05]
Jeff Hanson: self-titled [11.Apr.05]
Milton Mapes: The Blacklight Trap [6.Apr.05]
The Arts and Sciences: Hopeful Monsters [4.Apr.05]
Gruff Rhys: Yr Atal Genhedlaeth [1.Apr.05]
Patrick Wolf: Wind in the Wires [25.Mar.05]
Purple Butterfly (2003) [23.Mar.05]
Crystal Skulls: Blocked Numbers [22.Mar.05]
Hella: Church Gone Wild / Chirpin Hard [21.Mar.05]
Bloc Party: Silent Alarm [18.Mar.05]
Phoenix: Live! Thirty Days Ago [8.Mar.05]
SCTV: Volume 3 [7.Mar.05]
Moving Units: Dangerous Dreams [3.Mar.05]
Aarktica: Bleeding Light [1.Mar.05]
Crooked Fingers: Dignity and Shame [24.Feb.05]
Iron & Wine: Woman King [EP] [22.Feb.05]
Egon: All Theory and No Action [8.Feb.05]
The Mutts: The Mutts [EP] [7.Feb.05]
Books on Tape: The Business End [3.Feb.05]
The Moaners: Dark Snack [2.Feb.05]
Owen: I Do Perceive [1.Feb.05]
Lou Barlow: Emoh [24.Jan.05]
Dogs Die in Hot Cars: Please Describe Yourself [12.Jan.05]
Blanche: If We Can't Trust the Doctors... [11.Jan.05]
Various Artists: Sounds Eclectic 3 [4.Jan.05]
Neil Young: Greatest Hits [3.Jan.05]
Hope of the States: The Lost Riots [1.Dec.04]
Chris Whitley: War Crime Blues [22.Nov.04]
John Lennon: Acoustic [19.Nov.04]
Ulysses: 010 [16.Nov.04]
The Zutons: Who Killed the Zutons? [8.Nov.04]
Augie March: Strange Bird [5.Nov.04]
Sam Roberts: We Were Born in a Flame [4.Nov.04]
Solex: The Laughing Stock of Indie Rock [4.Nov.04]
Mosquitos: Sunshine Barato [1.Nov.04]
Apostle of Hustle: Folkloric Feel [29.Oct.04]
Chuck Prophet: Age of Miracles [28.Oct.04]
The Ditty Bops: self-titled [25.Oct.04]
Split Lip Rayfield: Should Have Seen It Coming [21.Oct.04]
Th' Legendary Shack Shakers: Believe [14.Oct.04]
The Great Jazz Trio: Someday My Prince Will Come [13.Oct.04]
Angie Heaton: Let It Ride [13.Oct.04]
American Music Club: Love Songs for Patriots [11.Oct.04]
Panda Bear: Young Prayer [8.Oct.04]
Magnet: On Your Side [6.Oct.04]
Travis Morrison: Travistan [6.Oct.04]
Tom Waits: Real Gone [5.Oct.04]
Say Anything: Say Anything Is a Real Boy [30.Sep.04]
Various Artists: 13 Ways to Live [23.Sep.04]
Charlie Hunter Quintet: Right Now Live [DVD] [23.Sep.04]
Midnight Movies: self-titled [20.Sep.04]
Griffin House: Lost & Found [17.Sep.04]
Arcade Fire: Funeral [16.Sep.04]
Jolie Holland: Escondida [9.Sep.04]
Paul Westerberg: Folker [31.Aug.04]
Billy Joe Shaver: Billy and the Kid [26.Aug.04]
Patton Oswalt: Feelin' Kinda Patton [12.Aug.04]
John Frusciante: The Will to Death [11.Aug.04]
The Trouble with Sweeney: Fishtown Briefcase [6.Aug.04]
Soltero: The Tongues You Have Tied [4.Aug.04]
Guapo: Five Suns [30.Jul.04]
Kate Jacobs: You Call That Dark [28.Jul.04]
Big Satan: Souls Saved Hear [27.Jul.04]
Badly Drawn Boy: One Plus One Is One [27.Jul.04]
The Good Life: Lovers Need Lawyers [23.Jul.04]
Senor Happy: I'm Sorry [22.Jul.04]
The Well Wishers: Twenty-Four Seven [14.Jul.04]
The Tragically Hip: In Between Evolution [13.Jul.04]
Matt Pond PA: Emblems [9.Jul.04]
Super Furry Animals: Phantom Phorce [6.Jul.04]
Elvis Presley: Elvis at Sun [2.Jul.04]
Vernon Reid & Masque: Known Unknown [25.Jun.04]
PJ Harvey: Uh Huh Her [24.Jun.04]
Jay Farrar: Stone, Steel & Bright Lights [18.Jun.04]
Major: The Bliss Domestic [16.Jun.04]
Langhorne Slim: The Electric Love Letter EP [1.Jun.04]
Komeda: Kokomemedada [28.May.04]
David Cross: It's Not Funny [24.May.04]
Brent Arnold and the Spheres: Last Boat [14.May.04]
Andrew: A Beautiful Story [reissue] [12.May.04]
Prince: Musicology [10.May.04]
Jonny Greenwood: Bodysong [6.May.04]
James Brown: Soul on Top [3.Aug.03]
Living Things: Black Skies in Broad Daylight [3.Aug.03]
Blogs
Wednesday, February 11 2009
Spectacle: Elvis Costello with She & Him, Jenny Lewis, and Jakob Dylan (Episode 11)
Spectacle: Elvis Costello with Cash, Jones, Kristofferson, and Mellencamp (Episode 8) (Sound Affects) [21.Jan.09]
Spectacle: Elvis Costello with Rufus Wainwright (Episode 7) (Sound Affects) [14.Jan.09]
Spectacle: Elvis Costello with the Police (Episode 6) (Sound Affects) [7.Jan.09]
Spectacle: Elvis Costello With Tony Bennett (Episode 5) (Sound Affects) [31.Dec.08]
Spectacle: Elvis Costello With... - Episode 4 (Sound Affects) [24.Dec.08]
Spectacle: Elvis Costello With... - Episode 3 (Sound Affects) [17.Dec.08]
Spectacle: Elvis Costello With... -- Episode 2 (Sound Affects) [10.Dec.08]
Spectacle: Elvis Costello With... - Episode 1 (Sound Affects) [3.Dec.08]
The Beach Boys - U.S. Singles Collection (Consuming Consumables) [26.Nov.08]
The Stanley Brothers: The Definitive Collection (1947-1966) [$39.98] (Consuming Consumables) [2.Dec.07]
Sly and the Family Stone - The Collection [$69.98] (Consuming Consumables) [30.Nov.07]
Coen Brothers Gift Set [$49.98] (Consuming Consumables) [28.Nov.07]
Elvis Costello: My Aim Is True (Deluxe Edition) [$29.98] (Consuming Consumables) [19.Nov.07]
