Before metal had subgenres, scenes, or even a name, it had riffs. Not solos. Not speed.…
Category: deep-dives
John Mayer, Tradition Without Myth
Respect, distance, and the art of listening I didn’t come to John Mayer through pop radio…
Bob Weir and the Architecture of the Grateful Dead
What remains after Phil Lesh When Phil Lesh passed away, the immediate reaction was grief, deserved,…
When Love Songs Don’t Sound Like Love Songs
Not all love songs declare love. Some circle around it. Some hesitate. Some sound emotionally distant,…
The Anatomy of a Perfect Bass Line: From Motown to Modern Funk
How the bass moved from background support to the beating heart of modern music. Introduction: Why…
Two Ways to Be Pop: Billy Joel Whispers in Your Ear, Elton John Blasts Fireworks in Your Face
(The Stranger vs Goodbye Yellow Brick Road) For decades everyone has placed Billy Joel and Elton…
Neil Young: A Lifetime of Detours, Risks, and Unshakable Honesty
Neil Young’s career doesn’t look like a perfect arc. It looks more like a long walk…