As many of the tunes by these artists suggest, this period in rock history wasn’t exactly overflowing with creativity.
Read More »Music Genres
Concert/Dance Review: Paola Prestini’s ‘House of Zodiac’
This truly original event at the Green-Wood Cemetery catacombs took in the definitions of concert, dance, and theater.
Read More »An International Mosaic: 28th Beijing Music Festival Links Classical and Contemporary, China and the West, October 10–24, 2025
Every fall the BMF brings together China's top rising talent with world-class musicians from across the globe.
Read More »Music Reviews: Doc Pomus Demos, plus Lindsey Buckingham & Stevie Nicks, the Third Mind, and the Brothers Comatose
Doc Pomus began his musical career as a blues singer before turning to songwriting. He went on to write and co-write lots of classic early rock and pop hits, from "A Teenager in Love" to "Viva Las Vegas."
Read More »Concert Review: A ‘Rococo Repast’ from Musicians of the American Classical Orchestra
Musicians of the ACO enveloped us in the pure joy of sweet-sounding, often deeply inspired chamber music of the Rococo period by J.C. Bach, Michael Haydn, and Mozart.
Read More »Music Reviews: David Bowie’s ‘I Can’t Give Everything Away [2002–2016]’ plus a Cat Stevens Anthology
The latest David Bowie collection focuses on a period when he released relatively few full-length studio LPs. Still, the compilers have managed to deliver a wealth of content.
Read More »Music Reviews: The Peanut Butter Conspiracy, plus Dar Williams, Marshall Crenshaw, Wynonie Harris, West Texas Exiles, and Patton & Brokus
Formed from the ashes of a group called the Ashes (which included future Jefferson Airplane drummer Spencer Dryden), the Peanut Butter Conspiracy dealt in frequently adventurous rock, much of which deserves more attention than it has received.
Read More »Music Review: ‘Cereus’ – Chamber Music by Kay Rhie
A new album that includes arias from the opera 'Quake' along with instrumental music reveals composer Kay Rhie's ability to adapt her style for abstraction and direct storytelling alike.
Read More »Music Reviews: ‘Joe Meek: A Curious Mind,’ plus a David Bowie Tribute, and Albums from Rory Block, Irving Flores, and Johnnie Johnson
Joe Meek offered his share of teen-oriented pop, but he also had a penchant for strange novelty songs, odd sound effects, and numbers that dealt with the occult, outer space, and life on other planets.
Read More »Music Review: Aaron Helgeson – ‘As I Write This’ – Songs and Solos of Aaron Helgeson
Composer Aaron Helgeson's starting points range from traditional Norwegian fiddle to Shakespeare to Debussy.
Read More »
Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment