If “transitional album” ever makes its way to Websters, Empire’s album cover should be pictured right next to the definition.
From The Stacks: Queensryche, ‘Empire’
Deep Cuts: Supernatural Songs
My grandmother, the ghost.
The Tale of the Swamp Beast (or 45 Years In the Life Of A Les Paul)
It all began with a broken Fender Telecaster.
Deep Cuts: Songs For Machines
Futurists have worried about the rise of the machines at least as far back as the Greeks. The story of Icarus isn’t just one of hubris, but specifically hubris in the form […]
Deep Cuts: Songs For No Names
I’ve had a lot of names over the course of my life. I’ve been Jimmy, Jim, James, Jimbo, Jimmy Mac, Jaime, Jamie, and Hymes. I’ve been Mr. Stafford, Dad, Son, and a […]
Deep Cuts: Songs For Heavy Machinery
Some kids are obsessed with heavy machinery: bulldozers, tractors, cranes, dump trucks–they just can’t get enough of them.
On Diffuser: 25 Years Ago: Sub Pop Releases Soundgarden’s ‘Screaming Life/Fopp’
My biggest disappointment with this article: I couldn’t find my old Screaming Life/Fopp cassette to use for the cover art. I had this whole “Hey look at me, I was an early […]
125. Whatsoever I’ve Feared Has Come To Life
Today’s piece was supposed to be a harrowing tale of liquor, lust, and primer-gray Camaros haunting the new, improved James. In this particular instance a black Trans-Am played the role of the […]
Deep Cuts: My Playlist Wants To Kill Your Mama
Putting together a playlist of songs about moms isn’t very difficult. In fact, you could make a playlist of songs named “Mama” without ever resorting to “She’s A Bad Mama Jama.” But […]
On My Turntable: Heart – Fanatic
With exception to a dark period in their catalog that I choose not to think about, Heart has long been one of my favorite bands. Of the thousands of groups who modeled […]
Why It Matters 