It’s quite clear that the fickle record-buying public really screwed up in the early ’70s; the Beach Boys were on top of their game.
Jason M. Rubin
Author Appreciation: Historian Stephen B. Oates
No writer, historian, or filmmaker ever took me nearly as close to Abraham Lincoln the man as did Stephen B. Oates. I have always been indebted to him for that.
Arts Reconsideration: The 1971 Project — Celebrating a Great Year in Music (August Entry)
Arts Fuse writers continue their countdown of great music celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. This month’s especially eclectic list includes The Allman Brothers Band, Roy Brown, Black Sabbath, Johann Sebastian Bach, and the Art Ensemble of Chicago.
July Short Fuses – Materia Critica
Each month, our arts critics — music, book, theater, dance, and visual arts — fire off a few brief reviews.
Film Review: “Summer of Soul” — A Classic Concert Resurrected
Summer of Soul is two hours of rapturous entertainment and pointed political commentary — neither of which has gone out of style 52 years later.
Film Review: “Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road” — Getting Close to a Legend of Pop Music
What comes across most clearly to the viewer is that every single day — practically every single hour — is a struggle for Brian Wilson.
Book Interview: Bill Nowlin on the Little Label That Could — Fifty Years at Rounder Records
For local music enthusiasts of all stripes, the hometown label was a point of pride; for musicians and fans the world over, Rounder was the go-to source for music you couldn’t readily find elsewhere.
Music Preview: Creative Music Series Brings Live Jazz to Live Audiences
At a time most venues are doing without live music, the Creative Music Series is bucking the trend with free public concerts in outdoor locations throughout the Boston area.
Music Review/Interview: Foxes & Fossils — 50 Million YouTube Views Can’t Be Wrong
Even though they are a cover band, Foxes and Fossils’ performances are fresh and delightful. While faithful to the originals, they are not slavish imitations.
Arts Feature: Music That Sustained Us Through the Year of the Pandemic
With concerts all but wiped off the calendar by the pandemic, our critics naturally spent their time with recordings (and virtual live shows).