A Den of Slack: ‘Reality Bites’ As a Generational Cautionary Tale
Reality Bites‘ central idea is that selling out is no match for following your heart, and good things will come. That’s all well and good, but it doesn’t pay the bills.
All Things Reconsidered
Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Then Play On’ and Humble Pie’s ‘Town and Country’ 55 Years On
Fleetwood Mac and Humble Pie were a part of the progressive 1960s ethos that carried successfully into the 1970s and beyond. These 1969 albums tell the story.
Rock and Ruin: The Downfall of Courtney Love’s ‘America’s Sweetheart’
Concocted in a three-year maelstrom of excess, the highly anticipated solo LP America’s Sweetheart was overshadowed by Courtney Love’s erratic behavior.
M. Scott Momaday’s ‘House Made of Dawn’ Offers Light to See By
In the 1969 Pulitzer Prize-winning House Made of Dawn, Native American author M. Scott Momaday confronts an infinite darkness in nature and ourselves.
‘Foreign Land’ and the Dawn of a New Age in Brazilian Cinema
The bleakness in Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas’ 1995 crime thriller Foreign Land would mark the film as a paragon in the newly emerging Brazilian cinema.
Bob Dylan’s The Times They Are A-Changin’ at 60
Bob Dylan’s third album The Times They Are A-Changin’ was his darkest and most political, a modern folk landmark that remains a template for socially conscious music.
Jimmy Eat World’s Emo Classic ‘Clarity’ at 25
Jimmy Eat World’s career has looked increasingly like that of bands they admire. They keep a devoted fan base happy with incendiary, hit-packed live sets.
TV on the Radio’s ‘Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes’ at 20
Blending doo-wop, hip-hop, and soul into post-punk, TV on the Radio’s discography is unlike anything released this century. Their music still sounds singular.
Cake’s Motorcade of Generosity Previewed the Mid-’90s Alt-Rock Explosion
Cake were perfectly positioned for mid-’90s success. Artists willing to experiment and incorporate different genres were about to ascend briefly in popular music.
I Get So Mean Around This Scene: Joe Jackson’s ‘Look Sharp!’ at 45
With his 1979 debut album Look Sharp!, Joe Jackson joined the league of UK artists who fused sophisticated pop songwriting with a punk snarl.
Richard and Linda Thompson’s ‘I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight’
Musically and lyrically, Richard Thompson’s I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight is a provocative album that marks a radical advance in English folk rock.
Van Halen’s ‘1984’ Represents the Past, Present, and Future
The era of hard rock and metal Van Halen ushered peaked and fell when the 1980s ended, but comes back again as classic rock for today’s 13-year-olds.