Tuesday, November 1 2011
One Night Only: The Rolling Stones ‘Some Girls’ Live in Texas ‘78
In 1978 the rise of punk and popularity of disco were about to kick the Rolling Stones out of poignancy. But then Some Girls flew to the top of the American charts, and the Stones short US tour is widely hailed as one of their most musically impressive.
Tuesday, September 13 2011
The Undiluted Promise of Comics as Vanguard for 21st Century Media
Sometimes, rarely, a work is so good (so well-conceived, so well-executed) that it simply breaks our traditional expectations of comics literature. And this breaking allows us to glimpse the true, rare promise of what the industry can achieve. Davids Lapham and Aja's Wolverine: Debt of Death is this work.
Monday, September 12 2011
We Piss Anywhere: ‘Sympathy for Mick Jagger’
Mick Jagger is the devil; the avatar for the swaggering, fatally self-assured hedonist who will piss anywhere with a cocky smirk written all over his face that only confirms there is nothing you can do to stop him.
Friday, September 9 2011
Counterbalance: Year One
In this special one-year anniversary edition of Counterbalance, Eric Klinger and Jason Mendelsohn discuss their first year combing through the pop music canon (as determined by Acclaimed Music's calculations of every best-of list available), share a few favorites, and justify a couple items on their expense account.
Tuesday, August 9 2011
In Defense of Good Sax
I could list several dozen songs that would be greatly lessened, if not unthinkable, without their saxophonic embellishment; so could you. In the interest of time and clarity, let's take three and call it a day.
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.
Friday, July 22 2011
Counterbalance No. 43: The Rolling Stones’ ‘Sticky Fingers’
Eric Klinger and Jason Mendelsohn have watched you suffer a dull aching pain, but wild horses couldn't drag them away from talking about one more Rolling Stones album. This week in Counterbalance—Acclaimed Music’s 43rd All-Time Greatest Album. Have your needle and spoon at the ready.
Wednesday, June 15 2011
A Stormy Playlist: 10 Songs for Before, During, and After the Summer Storms
If we are going to learn to grin and bear this year's enhanced, prolonged stormy activity, we need an equally stormy playlist to accompany the thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, and whatever other maladies Mother Nature might throw our way during this summer season
Friday, June 3 2011
Counterbalance No. 36: The Rolling Stones’ ‘Let It Bleed’
You got the silver, you got the gold, you got the diamonds from the mine, but do you have Counterbalance? Klinger and Mendelsohn have a little to spare in this week's edition as they pick through the Rolling Stones' Let It Bleed.
Monday, May 2 2011
Howlin’ Wolf: Rocking Chair Blues - “Down in the Bottom”
Sexual poaching and its consequences become a life and death drama in Howlin’ Wolf’s “Down in the Bottom”.
