Jacob Adams teaches literature, composition, and communication studies at a public high school in the Chicago area. He holds degrees in English, music, and education from Indiana University. In addition to writing for PopMatters, he maintains his own personal blog called A Sea of Amusements (http://amusementsea.blogspot.com/) and writes about music and books for Spectrum Culture (www.spectrumculture.com). When he is not busy teaching and writing about all aspects of popular culture, he enjoys playing the saxophone. He is currently working on a series of scary jazz compositions with San Francisco Bay area bassist Rod Taylor.
Features
Monday, November 15 2010
"I Don't Believe in Beatles": John Lennon's Minimalist Journey to Independence
How an audacious, daring record from a disgruntled ex-Beatle became a major musical landmark.
Blogs
Wednesday, April 11 2012
Top 10 Culturally Significant Banjo Moments
In the shadow of Earl Scruggs’ death, it’s worth taking a look at the role the banjo has played in American popular culture.
Monday, March 26 2012
Dropping Names, Cutting Tapes: Beastie Boys – “B-Boy Bouillabaisse”
“B-Boy Bouillabaisse” is one of the great denouements in the history of pop music, a 12-minute suite that gives us a definitive, multifarious view of urban life in the late 1980s.
Monday, March 19 2012
Dropping Names, Cutting Tapes: Beastie Boys – “Shadrach”
The boys employ religious allusions on “Shadrach” in a similar manner as they have used the references to movies, kids’ cartoons, and cereal boxes. They’re simply trying to come at their subject from multifarious angles and provide variety and interest for the listener.
Monday, March 12 2012
Dropping Names, Cutting Tapes: Beastie Boys – “What Comes Around”
“What Comes Around” is an ebullient three-minute track that highlights the Beastie Boys’ and Dust Brothers’ incomparable ability to create pleasant irony through perfectly-placed samples and humorous turns-of-phrase.
Monday, March 5 2012
Dropping Names, Cutting Tapes: Beastie Boys – “Car Thief”
Although the lyrical content feels a bit repetitive from previous songs on Paul's Boutique, the chill, soulful groove makes “Car Thief” memorable.
