Prickly and polemical tunes are surrounded by some of the most enjoyable music Van Morrison has made in years.
Cultural Commentary: “Dogefather” Elon Musk on SNL – Banking on the Irony of the Rich
“Fate loves irony” opines the billionaire. Will we be in on the joke, or left out in the cold?
May Short Fuses – Materia Critica
Each month, our arts critics — music, book, theater, dance, and visual arts — fire off a few brief reviews.
Theater Review: “TJ Loves Sallly 4 Ever” — Scattershot Satire
An exciting, subversive idea animates TJ Loves Sally 4 Ever.
Jazz Album Review: A Splendidly Spiritual Conversation — “Promises” with Floating Points and Pharoah Sanders
Dedicated to experimentation and creative collaboration, Promises delivers an otherworldly, dreamlike experience.
Book Review: “Up to Heaven and Down to Hell” — The High Price of Fracking
This is an excellent deep dive into the ways fracking mirrors the many problems we face as we try to change the way we think about energy, individual choice, and climate change.
Television Review: “Shrill” Season 3 — Concluding on an Unsatisfying Note
Has Annie learned anything? Life can indeed be frustrating, and our insecurities do often get the best of us, but dealing with our limitations contribute to our eventual maturity.
Arts Reconsideration: The 1971 Project — Celebrating a Great Year in Music (May Entry)
Arts Fuse writers continue their countdown of great music celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and this month’s list includes The Temptations, Janis Joplln, John Hartford, Carole King, and The Carpenters.
Jazz Album Reviews: James Brandon Lewis and Vijay Iyer — Discoveries and Searches
New discs from James Brandon Lewis and Vijay Iyer merit serious attention from admirers of improvised music.
Book Review: “The Final Revival of Opal & Nev” — Who Controls the Narrative?
The Final Revival of Opal & Nev imagines an Afro-Punk duo whose edgy look and aggressive sound offer a way of addressing timely issues around race and representation.