Advertisements Or, an announcement After 200 posts (!), I decided it was time to move the blog over to Substack. It’s all the same stuff for free, but there will be other content available to paying subscribers, including access to the full archives here and semi-regular dives that are somehow even deeper than what IContinue reading “I’ve moved to Substack!”
Author Archives: Cecilia Gigliotti
“Now and Then,” the last (lost?) Beatles song
Advertisements Or, a rose by any other name So I want to talk about this song, which I called a Beatles song in the title for good old SEO purposes and because everyone is doing it. But I must confess to being somewhat disingenuous. I don’t think of it as a true Beatles song; it’sContinue reading ““Now and Then,” the last (lost?) Beatles song”
Who #7: thank u, next
Advertisements Or, prep screams and hipster dreams I almost called this one ‘I Love My Wife.’ We’ll get there. Today is the day you may have been waiting for: Who’s Next. A title that is untranslatable, at least into German. I take the album on runs, which is how I’ve finally cultivated an independent relationshipContinue reading “Who #7: thank u, next”
California Tragic: Weyes Blood at Astra
Advertisements Or, electro-pop Joni Mitchell from the future? I got a ticket on short notice to see Weyes Blood (pronounced ‘eyes’ with a ‘w’ attached) perform last week at Astra Kulturhaus, a Berlin club down in the clubby district. I’m a newcomer to her, though she’s floated in my periphery for years, and I wasn’tContinue reading “California Tragic: Weyes Blood at Astra”
An Improvised Quatrain on the Lennon-McCartney Songwriting Partnership
Advertisements Possibly greater than Arlen and Harburg, Possibly greater than Rodgers and Hart, Possibly greater than Gershwin and Gershwin— Gosh, I don’t know where to start! Thoughts on “Now and Then” coming soon. Image: 1969 via AP
Goodbye, Matthew Perry
Advertisements Or, a restless farewell *CW: addiction* Back when I first started this blog, I had the idea for a post about the concerning number of times I have said or done or felt something very Chandler Bing. That I can pinpoint these words or actions or feelings as such is only thanks to MatthewContinue reading “Goodbye, Matthew Perry”
Saint-Saëns’ “Danse macabre”: a perennial appreciation
Advertisements Or, a musical memory Halloween may be past, but All Souls’ Day is the second-best day of the year to discuss Camille Saint-Saëns’ 1875 symphonic poem Danse macabre. Besides, the day one of my grade-school music teachers introduced us to it was twenty years ago either this year or last year. So I’m lateContinue reading “Saint-Saëns’ “Danse macabre”: a perennial appreciation”
Who #6: Raise your hand if you loved Roger’s voice pre-TOMMY
Advertisements Or, an eras tour but it’s just one era A narrative I encounter not infrequently in my Who reading says something to the effect that Roger Daltrey didn’t really work out how to sing until Tommy. I would like to contest this claim. First off, I don’t know what ‘how to sing’ means. Secondly,Continue reading “Who #6: Raise your hand if you loved Roger’s voice pre-TOMMY”
Who #5: This is embarrassing
Advertisements Or, a check-in While interloping at the conference in Milan, I met a very knowledgeable presenter (British) to whom I took an instant liking. It somehow came up that I was writing this series on the Who because I had been listening to them all year. Her knee-jerk reaction was a weirded-out face andContinue reading “Who #5: This is embarrassing”
David Byrne
Advertisements Or, your latest song rec I hadn’t heard of the Australian trio STUMPS until last week when YouTube recommended the music video for their new song “David Byrne.” Now, I’m a simple man. I see something Talking Heads-affiliated, I click. And taking inspiration from David is a pretty good starting point for a song.Continue reading “David Byrne”