Commentary

Film Commentary: Looking Sharp, Leatherface! “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” Turns Fifty

July 23, 2024
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No 4k DVD, Blu-ray, theatrical digital, or streaming version of the movie improves on the visceral electricity of the original “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre”.

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Arts Commentary: Record Companies Suing AI — Who Owns Input?

June 30, 2024
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The real action, rest assured, will take place in the counting house, not the courthouse.

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Book Review: “Big Fiction” — Is the Author Hive-Mind or Queen Bee?

June 28, 2024
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On closer inspection, Dan Sinykin’s notion of a “conglomerate author” is largely a fiction.

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Jazz Commentary: Celebrating Bassist William Parker’s Lifetime of Achievement

June 27, 2024
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It was not just networking that propelled William Parker into the front rank of bassists. He could generate such a huge and complex cascade of sound that he energized leaders from Cecil Taylor and Ivo Perelman to Zoh Amba.

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Book Review: “Freeman’s Challenge” — Essential Reading on Prisons, Slavery, and Profit

June 4, 2024
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The prison was the first in the nation specifically designed to generate a profit for everybody but the laborers.

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Arts Commentary: Creative Cross-Pollination — HarborArts Expands the Power of Public Art

June 4, 2024
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Over the last 15 years, HarborArts has effectively used public art to raise public awareness, stimulating dialogue about environmental concerns — the climate crisis and degradation of the sea.

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Jazz Remembrance: David Sanborn, Way Beyond Smooth

May 28, 2024
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He was lucky to be so well-rewarded for doing what he loved to do, and we were always lucky to hear him.

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Visual Arts Commentary: “Razzle Dazzle” in Red — Jonathan Yeo Hails (?) the King

May 28, 2024
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The fact that King Charles went along with Jonathan Yeo’s amped-up riff on academic portraiture intrigues, especially in light of his peevish opposition to modernist architecture.

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Book Review: Finding Well-Paid Work After Graduation — The Luck of the Draw

May 20, 2024
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Readers interested in understanding how typical Americans transition from college to work should savor this provocative book.

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Design Review: A Singular Art Nouveau Shopfront in Harvard Square

May 18, 2024
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Made over 100 years before the current marketing phrase went abuzz, 1304 Massachusetts Avenue is a charming example of a true immersive retail experience.

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