It seems to be a routine function of the generations to disparage the young. I don’t share this inclination, or at least I try to resist it. One reason? Show choir. Not just show choir. Soccer, too. And speech contest and cross-country, These are the agents of my personal observations of youth, the particular gifts Read More …
Tag: Music
Book Review: A Sense of Wonder: Van Morrison’s Ireland
“A Sense of Wonder” is the third biography of Van Morrison I’ve read, and the best of the three. All of them pretty much describe a self-absorbed loner with little respect for his fans, but this one focuses much more on his song writing and its sources. In appreciating his music, I’m more interested in Read More …
Thoughts on Sara Bareilles’ “Blessed Unrest”
I like Adele Adkins well enough. Better than that, really. I thought her “21” album deserved every accolade it received. It’s a wonderful album, varied, soulful and bursting with heart. I have wondered how I would feel about her “25” if it had been the first of the two. It’s a fine album, more than Read More …
Springsteen’s Challenging Christianity
I was listening to Bruce Springsteen’s “Land of Hopes and Dreams” yesterday while raking leaves, and I realized that it may be my favorite of his many, many great songs. Structurally, I’ve considered “Jungleland” my hands-down favorite ever since that first delicious solitary night in a Fulton farmhouse when, discovering Springsteen for the first time, Read More …