The genius idea that is Record Store Day kicked off stateside in 2008 to support independent record shops. That acorn offered 10 unique releases from the likes of R.E.M. and Vampire Weekend, as well as a free compilation LP featuring Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, Jeff Buckley, and Pearl Jam. In the 13 years since then, […]
Northern soul is about two-minute songs with a fast, pounding Motown beat or plaintive soulful ballads about heartache and break-up. Northern soul is about dancing – side steps, spins, flips – and the power of the A or B side of a 7-inch single bought for a few or a few thousand dollars. What constitutes […]
From the musical gymnastics of King Crimson to the extended banquets of Yes, progressive rock is about musical indulgence. Drums, bass, guitar, flute, saxophone, banks of keyboards, a mellotron, and the occasional symphony orchestra mean that nothing is off the table, from the 22-minute suite of Genesis’s “Supper’s Ready” to Big Big Train’s musical reconstruction […]
Gamble and Huff’s Philadelphia International productions, Barry White’s string-drenched mini-operas, Donna Summer’s epic “Love To Love You Baby,” Chic and the infectious camp of Boney M are just five calling cards of disco. The genre is about four-on-the-floor, hi-hats, percussion, bass lines, and extended dance grooves. Lyrically, Disco can be about love, heartbreak, kung fu, […]
Some of the most iconic images of the 20th century can be found on album cover art, from the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band to the stark minimalism of Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures. What constitutes a classic album cover is, of course down to personal taste, but many collectors frame albums on their wall, […]
