Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
The Austin Symphony Orchestra performed a "Film With Orchestra" event, bringing live music to the film 'West Side Story'.
Read More »Concert Review: Austin Symphony Rumbles with the Jets and the Sharks
Reviews music
Music Reviews: The Left Banke, ‘The Beatles and India,’ Peter Tosh, the HawtThorns, and April March
Previously unheard baroque rock gems from the group that gave us the classic "Walk Away Renee." Also: a great reggae concert, Beatles covers by Indian artists, and more.
Read More »Music Reviews: Charley Patton, Jesse Correll, Mike Zito, Amy Jay, the Pine Hearts, and Joan Osborne
Six new releases, everything from vintage blues to introspective folk-rock.
Read More »Concert Review (NYC): The Open Gates Project – C3: Countertenors, Continuo, and a Consort of Viols (11 February 2022)
The project devoted to diversity in early music presented not one, not two, but four countertenors of color in its second concert.
Read More »Music Reviews: Lucinda Williams and John Sebastian, Plus Marshall Crenshaw, Wild Rivers, Michael Veitch, and Kate MacLeod
Lucinda Williams covers Rolling Stones and Christmas songs, and John Sebastian revisits the Spoonful songbook. Plus four more new releases.
Read More »Music Reviews: Janis Ian, Hollywood Flames, Whitmore Sisters, Julie Christensen, and more
Janis Ian's latest could be her best—and her last. Plus, overlooked doo-wop, a fine sister duo, an excellent tribute to Kevin Gordon, and more.
Read More »Charlie Doherty’s Top Songs and Albums of 2021
A brief but varied list of favorites of 2021 that includes Neil Young, SZA, Jesse Malin, Julien Baker, War on Drugs, and more.
Read More »Concert Review: Yo-Yo Ma Joins Youth Music Culture Guangdong Symphony Orchestra at Closing Concert
A stellar concert brought the 2022 edition of YMCG to a close with Beethoven and Dvořák from the past, Yo-Yo Ma from a distance, and much promise for the future.
Read More »Music Review: Beast Nest – ‘Sicko’
'Sicko', by Beast Nest, is an example of how so called emotionless electronic music can express feelings as well as any acoustic instrument.
Read More »Concert Review: Three of China’s Top Student String Quartets Play Beethoven at Youth Music Culture Guangdong, China
The Discovery Beethoven Quartet concert featuring three of China's top student string quartets proved one of the most exciting events at 2022's festival.
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