40 Years Ago Rick James’ ‘Street Songs’ Signaled a New Identity for Motown
Rick James’ ground-breaking Street Songs exposed Motown’s struggle to grow and change alongside the shifting pop music landscape.
All Things Reconsidered
30 Years Ago ‘Alanis’ Introduced Alanis Morissette to the World
Alanis Morissette’s Alanis remains an important record because it kickstarted the career of a brilliantly talented artist who has made an incredible mark on popular music.
The Annotated Guide to the Music Videos of Radiohead’s ‘The Bends’
With The Bends Radiohead left an impressive music video legacy, one that would extend to later masterpieces such as OK Computer.
All Things Reconsidered/Between the Grooves/Featured: Top of Home Page/Features/Music/Pop Past/SAVE/ IGNORE: popular
Between the Grooves: lowercase – ‘Kill the Lights’
Between the Grooves examines lowercase's Kill the Lights, a great marriage of slowcore and post-punk: raw, angry, sullen, and very much alive almost all these years later.
All Things Reconsidered/Between the Grooves/Featured: Top of Home Page/Features/Music/Pop Past/SAVE/ IGNORE: popular
Between the Grooves: Green Day – ‘American Idiot’
Part social commentary and part fictional narrative, Green Day's American Idiot came out of nowhere and impressed with its biting political subversion, exploration of teenage angst, love, and uncertainty, and perhaps most importantly, brilliant structures, transitions, and overall cohesion.
Between the Grooves of Green Day’s ‘Dookie’ (1994)
Green Day's Dookie was the best rock album of 1994. Scores of critics admitted that, yes, this 14-track album full of speedy pop-punk tunes about panic attacks, boredom, and masturbation was quite catchy, but no one would've held it against them if they doubted that Dookie would have had staying power.
Between the Grooves: Silkworm – ‘Lifestyle’
On a day when we share the Best Indie Rock of the year, step back in time to revisit Silkworm's 2000 indie rock classic, Lifestyle. Between the Grooves is a book-length PopMatters series examining artistically worthy albums in great depth.
Between the Grooves: Nine Inch Nails – ‘Broken’
Nine Inch Nails' 1992 EP is half an hour of visceral, undiluted anger delivered through muscular, caustic guitars and Trent Reznor's anguished screams. It's concise, focused, and arguably the pinnacle of Nine Inch Nails' discography.
Between the Grooves: The Beach Boys – ‘The Beach Boys Today!’
The Beach Boys Today! is an often overlooked gem in the band's catalog. We dive into each track and discover how they fit into the Beach Boys' musical growth, while also examining the recording process and release history.
Between the Grooves: Tom Waits – ‘Bone Machine’
Between the Grooves takes a deep dive into Tom Waits' Bone Machine. It's the one fans keep hidden amongst themselves, a secret treasure only the devout are privy to and the seasoned are worthy of. Simply put, it is not for the faint of heart.
Between the Grooves: Led Zeppelin – ‘Led Zeppelin IV’
Between the Grooves examines Led Zeppelin's awe-inspiring fourth LP. Nowhere is the band's carefully balanced blend of eardrum-bursting heavy rock and delicate folk strains better realized than on Led Zeppelin IV.