Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
Four superb musicians performed music by Brahms, Fauré, and contemporary composer Jessie Montgomery at Juilliard.
Read More »Concert Review (NYC): Juilliard Faculty Recital, 4 November 2022
Music
Music Reviews: The Beatles’ ‘Revolver’ (Super Deluxe Edition) and Lou Reed’s ‘Words & Music,’ plus Trampled by Turtles, a Boston Soul Anthology, Mali Obomsawin, Jonas Fjeld, and Julian Taylor
The Beatles’ ‘Revolver’ Reappears as a Box Set Can we pinpoint the time when the Beatles took their first giant step beyond creating extraordinary pop/rock love songs to chase even loftier ambitions? The answer is yes: It was April 1966, a mere three years after the UK release of their …
Read More »Music Reviews: Leonard Cohen Tribute, Roy Orbison, Joe Ely, Dean Torrence, the Claudettes, and Daphne Parker Powell
A dozen artists interpret Leonard Cohen classics, plus a Roy Orbison reissue, new music from Joe Ely and more new releases.
Read More »Concert Review (NYC): Brass Quartet The Westerlies Shipshape with Shape-Note Inspired Music
The two-trumpet, two-trombone ensemble's soulful, polished skill shone throughout their first post-pandemic concert program, inspired by shape-note singing.
Read More »Music Reviews: Pink Floyd’s Remixed ‘Animals,’ Mark Knopfler’s ‘Studio Albums 2009–2018,’ and Rory Block’s ‘Ain’t Nobody Worried’
A remix of Pink Floyd's 'Animals' finally appears, plus another box of Mark Knopfler solo albums and covers from Rory Block.
Read More »Music Premiere: Luke LeBlanc – ‘Down Low’
'It's more about the simultaneous significance and insignificance of the couple of trips we get around the sun before we head off into the sunset.'
Read More »Music Review: Luke LeBlanc – ‘Fugue State’
The elemental simplicity of the chord changes and the weary, indomitable creak of LeBlanc's vocals support a classic sense of melody and a distinctive artistic sensibility.
Read More »Music Reviews: Wilco’s ‘Yankee Hotel Foxtrot’ (20th Anniversary Edition), plus Gene McDaniels and the Heptones
A box set explores the creative process behind Wilco's 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.' Plus, reviews of CDs from Gene McDaniels and the Heptones.
Read More »Music Reviews: ‘Gotta Get a Good Thing Goin’ – Black Music in Britain in the Sixties,’ plus Elliott Murphy and John Fullbright
A new anthology surveys music by Black artists in the UK in the 1960s. Also: reviews of new albums by Elliott Murphy and John Fullbright.
Read More »Concert Review: Cellist Sophie Shao, Pianist John Blacklow – Music by Debussy, Herschel Garfein and Others (30 September 2022)
An exciting new piece by Brooklyn composer Herschel Garfein fit smoothly with Debussy and George Walker at Bargemusic.
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