Who #2: We’re off to see the Wizard

The Pinball Wizard of, uh, Portsmouth! Today I’m here to talk about Elton John singing “Pinball Wizard” in Ken Russell’s 1975 film adaptation of Tommy. This bit must have taken some extra special directing, because… *gesticulates to everything* Side note right off: the more I have learned about Russell and his influences, the more IContinue reading “Who #2: We’re off to see the Wizard”

The what, the where, the when, & the why

…but most of all, the who! This story begins with a new listening cycle that started in late January or early February. It reached a milestone in late June, with a concert. I can see by now that it has no end. I guess I wasn’t ready for the Who until now. I have manyContinue reading “The what, the where, the when, & the why”

Two Style(s) Pieces

Or, two doors into Harry’s house I recently commemorated the end of Harry Styles’ Love On Tour with a review of his last music video from the Harry’s House record, for the song “Daylight.” It’s a follow-up of sorts to my review of “As It Was” last year, which had been the first video. OnContinue reading “Two Style(s) Pieces”

My Year in Song (2022)

Remember when I didn’t do this back in December but there’s no time like the present to think about the past? January: “Bunny is a Rider,” Caroline Polachek February: “Oye Como Va,” Santana March: “Julien,” Carly Rae Jepsen April: “You’re Gonna Make It,” Dope Saint Jude May: “Company,” from Company June: “The Game of Love,”Continue reading “My Year in Song (2022)”

Inspirations have I none…

All I have is my love of love, and love is not loving. Today my beloved entrée to the land of concept albums, the record whose production quality still bears the standard, the galaxy’s greatest release by a metafictional band, turns 50. Similar to past honorary breakdowns (see here and here), I now break downContinue reading “Inspirations have I none…”

It’s gonna be May!

Or, a multi-purpose song Well, kids, it’s that time of year—the time when we whose formative understanding of music was indelibly shaped by *NSYNC (among other iconic boy bands) quote the central thesis of one of their hits to ring in first truly springlike month in the Northern Hemisphere. And I mean quote it exactly,Continue reading “It’s gonna be May!”

Hang onto your ego…

…but I know that you’re gonna lose the fight! So, remember when I started that podcast about Pet Sounds? Well, in the process of researching for it, I kept coming across articles that mentioned it or had something to do with it. Eventually I made a concerted effort to track down these and more pieces,Continue reading “Hang onto your ego…”

A POD SOUNDS special!

In which we interrupt our regularly scheduled programming This past week on the pod I got my act together (well, the timing was somewhat planned, as we just finished the album portion of season 2) and released an episode I’d recorded back in mid-December. With our first-ever guest. Who isn’t a blood relative! On thisContinue reading “A POD SOUNDS special!”

David Bowie at 75

In which I *am* the young American Happy what would be three-quarters of a century to the one and only Starman. Though the ‘man’ part of that portmanteau, I think, belies his enormous contributions to bringing gender weirdness to the fore of the music industry and mainstream media. Hunky Dory has been on heavy rotationContinue reading “David Bowie at 75”