Lou Reed's Top Album & Al Green's Rock Identity
On the latest Catalog Club I talk about one of Lou Reed's favorite albums of all time, and why Al Green self-identified as a rock 'n' roll star. (Also: The so-called "grits" incident.) https://t.co/tX5kkmEFok https://t.co/4B88ET2WtY
New Release Feels Instantly Like Their Definitive Album
Man, this is really something. Probably too early to say this but I'll say it anyway: It seems instantly like their definitive album. https://t.co/GlGGcwFpuH
At Woodstock ’99, Phone Screens Might've Saved Us
Woodstock 99 might be the rare instance where more people staring at their phones rather than living "completely in the moment" might have been preferable.
Marketing Creates Relevance, Can't Force Genuine Liking
I had a lot of different feelings/thoughts about the Geese/Chaotic Good story, so I spent 3,500 words trying to flesh them out. But this is basically the crux, about what marketing can (construct "relevance") and can't do (make people like...
Believe's Debut Album Crafts an Immersive Musical World
I wrote about the self-titled debut by My New Band Believe, which feels like a world onto itself. https://t.co/ZVIO8N06KB https://t.co/AObjrVf44O
Celebrating Al Green’s 80th with 1973’s “Call Me”
Today is Al Green's 80th birthday. This month I'm talking about a different Al album every week. This week is his 1973 masterpiece CALL ME. Happy birthday, Al! https://t.co/ji6Daylzqh https://t.co/3KbCzwCi8W
Tour Skipping Midwest Sparks Personal Offense
This "Gillian Welch/David Rawlings play the Dead's RECKONING" tour skipping the midwest is a personal affront.
Wendy Eisenberg’s Luminous Album Defines Spring 2026 Soundtrack
I wrote about the luminous Wendy Eisenberg album, a prime spring of 2026 soundtrack. https://t.co/iG8G6YnrfP https://t.co/2RcbGfYLFO
Reflecting on RHCP's Rise, Flea's HONORA, and Mixed Feel
Hey, I wrote about the recent Netflix doc about the Red Hot Chili Peppers' early years and Flea's solo album HONORA, with tangents on John Frusciante's solo output and my ambivalent feelings about this absurd (absurdly successful) band. https://t.co/qk1vyaAJGy https://t.co/o5HSjjtY8T
Celebrating Al Green's 80th with a Catalog Club
Al Green turns 80 on April 13. To mark this milestone I'm doing my Catalog Club series this month on four of his albums, starting with my personal favorite. Come luxuriate in some of the greatest music ever with me! https://t.co/ytNQm470sl...
Springsteen Concert Revives Hope in Soul‑deadening Times
A good read on Good Friday: I wrote a big essay about seeing Bruce Springsteen in concert with my son this week, in my adopted hometown of Minneapolis, and the return of feeling something in a soul-deadening time. https://t.co/Y8NMqomcXX https://t.co/hNshkmHaTS
Brian Dunne Discusses Favorite Albums and Human Touch
I interviewed Brian Dunne, who made one of my favorite albums of 2025 and will soon release one of my favorite albums of 2026 with his band Fantastic Cat. I remember we talked a lot about our fave HUMAN TOUCH...
Springsteen's Electrifying Show Resonated Personally and Politically
Springsteen was incredible tonight. Possibly my favorite time seeing him, for personal/political reasons above all. (Many more words TK.)
Courtney Barnett's Strong Comeback Proves She Belongs
I wrote about the quite good "comeback" album by Courtney Barnett out today, and how she always seemed a little out of place when she blew up in the mid-2010s. https://t.co/2rmTx3G0ZW https://t.co/3psSaAyMRT
Ramones 2026: Reassessing 1984’s Underrated Impact
My Catalog Club series this month on the Ramones wraps with a conversation about the music of 1984 and whether the Ramones in 2026 now seem a touch underrated. https://t.co/dg6k7AeI5W https://t.co/v4G2RYrlZR
Moby's Mockery of the Kinks Sparks Backlash
lol Moby obviously thought "I'll just dunk on this classic rock song and score some cheap social media points" and he didn't appreciate HE WAS TALKING ABOUT ONE OF THE GREATEST BANDS EVER THE KINKS.
NZ's Fazed On A Pony: Lenderman‑style Alt‑Country Revival
I wrote about New Zealand's Fazed On A Pony, the "Stone Temple Pilots phase" (complimentary) of MJ Lenderman-esque alt-country https://t.co/ig9ToAqt0o https://t.co/RirnaEW8tn
Underrated Indie Gem ‘GNAWING AT THE CORD’ Shines
My favorite LP of early 2026 is GNAWING AT THE CORD by Ovven. A super fun and riff-y indie rock LP that's largely gone unreviewed, perhaps because singer-songwriter Owen Burton, by his count, has no label and a marketing budget...
China Crisis' 'Flaunt The Imperfection' Is the 80
Wrote about an album I’ve been obsessed with lately: China Crisis’ “Flaunt The Imperfection,” a “Gaucho” for the 1980s made with Walter Becker. https://t.co/mlP26Qd9TO https://t.co/3vnWjenKtP
Ramones' Definitive Album Explored, with Cheap Trick Tangent
On the latest edition of Catalog Club: Ramones (1976-1984), I talked about their most complete album (and also went on a long tangent about Cheap Trick). https://t.co/CAEtl3W5be https://t.co/EmbgWs9hTf