The Decemberists at Merriweather Post
The folk based rock of the Portland, Ore., band The Decemberists is probably best suited for theaters — ramshackle ones with patched curtains and vaudeville ads sewn on them, with…
Other Things I’ve Written Lately
Here are some links to some other pieces I've written recently: A slave ship found off the coast of South Africa has artifacts that will come to the Smithsonian's new…
Manson Songs Live On in NBC’s ‘Aquarius’
After nearly half a century, is Charlie Manson finally getting what he always wanted? Thwarted at every turn in becoming a recording artist in his day, his weird songs are…
Dylan’s Last Stand at ‘Late Night’
Bob Dylan's return to "The Late Show with David Letterman" Tuesday for its penultimate broadcast was, like the rest of the show and the one Monday too a little wandering.…
A Queen Becomes an Empress
Even as a recording artist with a similarly royal title, Queen Latifah may not have been destined to play the Empress of the Blues. But her starring as blues great Bessie…
Remembering B.B. King, 1925-2015
B.B. King, who died Thursday at 89, was the man who made you feel good with the blues, with a distinctive and influential guitar style, powerfully soulful voice and gentle…
Review: The Replacements in D.C.
Friday's show by The Replacements in Washington was kind of a miracle -- for fans who thought the band would never tour again, of course. But also in terms of…
Music Review: Sufjan Stevens at DAR Hall
Sufjan Stevens, the sensitive troubadour who began his career chronicling the geography and stories of the Midwest, where he grew up, on albums like “Illinois” and “Michigan,” has made the…
Heck of a Good Cobain Montage
Much has been written about the troubled childhood of Kurt Cobain, who turned his pain into indelible rock with Nirvana. But nothing has been done with as much style, nor…
Annie Lennox Tears Down the House
Even amid the supposed biggest stars in the recording industry, Annie Lennox stood out at the Grammys earlier this year, and performing the songs from last year's ignored "Nostalgia" album…