Universal Songs? Interpreting Stevie Wonder’s ‘Songs in the Key of Life’
Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life is 45 years old. It’s a towering masterpiece in the histories of soul, pop, American music, and Black music worldwide.
progressive soul
An Elegy for J Dilla on the 15th Anniversary of ‘The Shining’
J Dilla’s The Shining debuted 15 years ago and remains an essential collaborative effort between the master producer and his favorite rappers.
On Peter Gabriel’s “I Have the Touch” in a Time of Forbidden Touch
Peter Gabriel’s “I Have the Touch” perfectly captures the agonizing isolation that so many of us have been experiencing throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
J Dilla’s ‘Welcome 2 Detroit’ Pointed the Way to 21st Century Hop-Hop
J Dilla's Welcome 2 Detroit announced where hip-hop could go in the 21st century. This reissue, expanded and spread over 12 seven-inch records, with a book that tells the whole story, reveals just how crucial an album it remains.