In this guest piece, Gareth Page retraces the long and unlikely journey of Alphataurus, one of…
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Great Songs #7 – Toto Jake to the Bone (1992)
Instrumental songs rarely earn a place in “great song” conversations. Jake to the Bone earns it…
Great Song #6 – Steely Dan Aja and the Art of Studio Perfection
Some songs are built to be played live. Others are written to be felt. Aja was…
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…
061 — Bob Dylan, Bringing It All Back Home (1965)
Bringing It All Back Home – When Dylan Plugged In and Folk Music Exploded Artist: Bob…
Great Song #5 – Elvis Presley “Suspicious Minds” (1969)
“Suspicious Minds” wasn’t just a hit — it was the moment Elvis fought his way back…
Great Song #4 – Tom Waits “I’m Still Here” (2002): The Quiet Heart
Tom Waits’ “I’m Still Here” is one of his quietest masterpieces — a minimal piano ballad…
060 — Van Morrison, Astral Weeks (1968)
Astral Weeks – Folk, Jazz, and Memory Dissolving Into One Long Breath Artist: Van Morrison ·…
059 — Stevie Wonder, Talking Book (1972)
Talking Book – The Sound of Stevie Wonder Grabbing the Controls Artist: Stevie Wonder · Album:…
058 — Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
Led Zeppelin IV – Riffs, Myths, and the Stairway to Everywhere Artist: Led Zeppelin · Album:…
057 — The Band, The Band (1969)
The Band – The Rustic Fever Dream of an Imaginary America Artist: The Band · Album:…
056 — Liz Phair, Exile in Guyville (1993)
Exile in Guyville – The Indie Rock Breakup Letter to an Entire Scene Artist: Liz Phair…
055 — Pink Floyd, The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
The Dark Side of the Moon – Anxiety, Time, and Money in Surround Sound Artist: Pink…
054 — James Brown, Star Time (1991)
Star Time – Four Discs of the Hardest-Working Man in Show Business Artist: James Brown ·…
053 — The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Electric Ladyland (1968)
Electric Ladyland – Hendrix Blows Up the Studio, the Song, and the Sky Artist: The Jimi…
052 — David Bowie, Station to Station (1976)
Station to Station – The Cocaine Commuter Between Soul and Berlin Artist: David Bowie · Album:…
051 — Chuck Berry, The Great Twenty-Eight (1982)
The Great Twenty-Eight – Rock & Roll DNA in 28 Shots Artist: Chuck Berry · Album:…
050 — The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Axis: Bold as Love (1967)
Axis: Bold as Love – Psychedelia with Heart, Humor and Cosmic Color Artist: The Jimi Hendrix…
Ray Charles, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music – A Boundary-Shattering Masterstroke Ray Charles took a genre…