Tuesday, August 2 2011
10 Albums That Supposedly Suck (But Don’t)
Some of these are hopefully no-brainers, others may be head-scratchers. All of them are albums that deserve a fresh appraisal.
Born Again, Again
Critically panned 28 years ago, Black Sabbath's bizarre 11th album, Born Again, has gone on to earn a cult following of its own.
Wednesday, July 13 2011
Five Songs About Wizards, Witches, and Other Spellcasters
The final Harry Potter film is upon us, so why not spin these magic-tinged tunes to commemorate the occasion?
Thursday, August 19 2010
Hey Gibson, Let’s Talk Guitar Albums: An Alternative Top 10
When it comes to matters of taste and ranking (a particularly combustible combination), there is no pleasing everyone. In fact, there is no pleasing anyone, since the list makers themselves are invariably disappointed or frustrated. And yet...
Wednesday, July 14 2010
Black Sabbath: Classic Albums: Paranoid
Black Sabbath's classic second album is given a throrough dissection on one of the best releases in the Classic Albums series.
Thursday, July 1 2010
Black Sabbath 1968 - 1979: A Lyrical Reassessment
Black Sabbath, during Ozzy's original tenure, had at least as much in common with the 1960s counter-culture that preceded them as they did with the waves of metal bands that followed them in the 1980s and beyond.
Monday, May 17 2010
Fade to Black: R.I.P. Ronnie James Dio
Ronnie James Dio kicked off the '80s by helming Black Sabbath after Ozzy Osbourne's departure. During the '80s, he routinely shunned temptation to soften or commercialize his sound. 20 years later, metal is immeasurably the better thanks to his efforts.
A Light in the Black: Ronnie James Dio, 1942-2010
In a genre that loves its iconic figures, Ronnie James Dio was one of the biggest. Sadly, one of metal's ageless wonders proved to be mortal after all.
Thursday, May 13 2010
Paranoid Android: Is Music the Opiate of the iPod-Owning Masses?
Wherein our curmudgeonly record shop owner realizes that his store with its bins full of vinyl was his own personal iPod long before the iPod was ever invented.
